Setting Limits

Hey everyone,

Sorry it’s been so long since my last post, life has been CRAZY. Between finals, my soccer team going to district playoffs in San Antonio and then state playoffs in Beaumont (near the Louisiana border), family, etc., time has been hard to come by. This has made keeping my register up to date nearly impossible too. Today I plan on going online and comparing what I have written down to make sure it is accurate.

Money-wise, this time of year is always difficult for me. I am a very giving person, often to the point that I am willing to sacrifice my own comforts and needs to make others happy. I tried something new this year though to help with this; I attempted to set limits on each individual I was shopping for, however this did not always work out as planned. For example, a store was out of the thirty dollar angle-grinders. All that was left was the fifty dollar ones.

I have no idea how much I spent on Christmas collectively, and honestly I am a little scared to find out. Also, my boyfriend’s birthday is January 3, another expense to add to the seasonal list.

However, on a more positive note, I have been getting a lot of letters from colleges that I have already been accepted to and am considering offering even more money. YAY!! This definitely helps. It makes the thirteen years of busting my butt on my grades and education seem so worth it. So far all those slacking, it is really worth it in the long run. I really encourage everyone to do all you can to keep your grades up, it is definitely worth it. I will keep everyone updated on how the college stuff plays out.

I am super excited about 2010. Not only do I graduate (WOOHOO!!), it’s full of new opportunities and challenges. One of the biggest of these obstacles for me is going to be living on my own (hopefully in Waco). Being able to determine what are good prices and what are expenses that are needs versus wants is going to be vital in this change. Having to discover how to be financially independent, more so than I already am, is going to be a struggle, but I think I’m ready to take it on. I really think I can handle the pressures that it comes along with. Yeah, it may be difficult at times, but who doesn’t have it hare every once in a while?

I will let everyone know the damage Christmas has done after I am able to total it all up. I hope and pray that everyone had a safe and amazing Christmas and New Year’s.

-Katelyn