Grand Savings Update

Okay, so it is that time again, when I update how my progress is going on my “Grand Savings Plan!” 

Okay, so let’s see how I did . . . 

  

For review, here is how things looked from last payday . . .

   

And this is how things look like, after the dust settled on this payday’s budget . . . 

   

That’s right things jumped up to 10.1% of my savings target. That means I put away 0.9% of my total Savings Target this payday. 

I do need to pause and reflect on the fact that even though I put a toe over the line, I have indeed crossed over the 10% of my savings target. That bottom row is now fully crossed off!

As with my Last Payday, I put away less than 1% of my target. This is frustrating, but it is what it is and I do hope to make up a bit of lost ground with the next 4 paydays.

You see these next four paydays should be larger due to the fact that much fewer deductions are taken off. So this will increase my take home pay, even though my gross doesn’t go up.

Even if I don’t get a bump, and if I just keep plugging away at my savings as it is, that’s okay. I will still get there, eventually. 

Even if some large life event comes my way and I have to abandon my Grand Savings Plan, any savings is better than no savings. 

As always; Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Total Debt Freedom Day (1st Anniversary)

Yes, yes, my friends it is now officially one year since I have become Totally Debt Free! It has been a bit of a rocky start to the year, but all in all, I have done well. 

First of all I have remained Totally Debt Free, and that is something. I have had my challenges and run up a credit card a bit over the past year, but all in all I am okay.

All credit cards are paid off and I continue with my practice of paying off all outstanding balances in full each and every payday.

I am building up my savings and have maintained my Personal Overdraft in my Main Account. 

I have built up my Personal Line of Credit to my reasonable personal emergency fund. 

The best thing of all is that as of today, I will be activating my Long Term Account and putting my savings into it (until my TFSA is maxed out).

In the beginning of the year I did spend, but mainly on things that I should have done before. Such as repairs to Wanda, a new mattress (fantastic). 

Yet there was also the new computer that I probably shouldn’t have. I find that if it is not a laptop, with its own internal battery, that it is not a practical computer for me to have. 

Anyways, I digress, but the main thing is that the financial lessons and tools that got me debt free, are still being employed to help me build my savings. 

I am also proud to say that as of today, I will be at 10% of my overall savings target on my Grand Savings Plan!

I do not say these things to brag, as that is not my style. Rather, I say all this to show that it is possible to not only get debt free but stay debt free, all while still working your regular 9-5 job (no extra income required).

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Alls Quiet Before Payday

So, this Monday is my payday and it is a special one. This is because it is the payday when I actually activate my Long Term Account (again).

I now have, or will come payday, to put the minimum balance that the bank will start to pay interest (their whopping 1.1%).

So, that is what I am going to do, start putting cash into my Long Term Account (as in my TFSA). 

It is yet another start and yet another step forward on my journey towards having the land and starting the town. 

Yet, here I am on the weekend before payday and I am doing my darndest to stop all spending so I can do this.

I do take the time to mark these milestones, not to brag but to show myself that I am making progress and to keep doing what I am doing, because it is working. 

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive and keep moving forward!

Accepting a Missed Target

So, here I am five paydays (including Monday) away from the end of the year. I have a goal of reaching 16.7% of my savings Target before the year is out. 

As it stands, unless there is a sudden and unprecedented rush between now and the end of the year (unlikely), I will fall short of that target. 

As it stands, I will, most likely hit 14.6% (at best). 

Now, while missing a target is frustrating, it is not the end of the world. I have to remind myself that I still have more money in savings than I did a year ago.

Add to that, that this money in savings is mine and it is not earmarked for some debt relief. I can do what I want with it, and that is a good feeling.

I will make my savings target of 100% . . . eventually. I just have to remember that it will not happen in a day. 

Slow and steady wins the savings race, and even though I have had setbacks and I will continue to have setbacks, I need to remember that any movement forward is still movement forward. 

Celebrate your successes and don’t worry so much if you miss your target or goal. You are still further ahead than you were when you set that goal.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!Accepting a Missed Target

So, here I am five paydays (including Monday) away from the end of the year. I have a goal of reaching 16.7% of my savings Target before the year is out. 

As it stands, unless there is a sudden and unprecedented rush between now and the end of the year (unlikely), I will fall short of that target. 

As it stands, I will, most likely hit 14.6% (at best). 

Now, while missing a target is frustrating, it is not the end of the world. I have to remind myself that I still have more money in savings than I did a year ago.

Add to that, that this money in savings is mine and it is not earmarked for some debt relief. I can do what I want with it, and that is a good feeling.

I will make my savings target of 100% . . . eventually. I just have to remember that it will not happen in a day. 

Slow and steady wins the savings race, and even though I have had setbacks and I will continue to have setbacks, I need to remember that any movement forward is still movement forward. 

Celebrate your successes and don’t worry so much if you miss your target or goal. You are still further ahead than you were when you set that goal.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

The Unexpected Ding

So, there I was, checking my Banking App, as I do every morning, and there I saw it . . . the unexpected ding. Rather, the ‘Premature Ding.’

What happened was that the place where I have my mailbox at charged me (yesterday apparently) for my yearly fee.

Now, usually (or at least last year) I paid for it in person, and . . . you know . . . was asked. 

This was just dinged to my card (the whole year in advance) as per usual without at least calling me to let me know this was happening. 

Now, I am an organized guy and I had put it in the budget for the Nov 7 Pay Period, as I expected to pay for it in the store again at that time.

This is not a disaster, as I don’t run a balance on any credit card (life is simpler that way)  I will still hit 10% of my savings target this payday (on Monday) anyways.

Yet, whilst I knew that this charge was coming, and yes they do have my card on file, I wasn’t expecting this. 

Now, technically I can call my credit card company and claim fraud and have the charge reversed. 

Yet, to me, that seems like a kinda jerkish thing to do when I am going to pay it in a few weeks anyways. 

All in all, just a friendly note to those of you in retail, just ask first before dinging.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive, and keep moving forward!

Who Wears Short-Shorts

Not me, but I did wear shorts yesterday evening. I came home to a wonderful 20C in my house and so I had the door and windows open. 

It was nice and a delightful way to spend the evening. I know that winter is coming and on the prairies it can change on a dime.

So, as I keep saying, I’ll enjoy the nice weather when I can. 

Otherwise things are moving along nicely and I am, for the most part, keeping out of trouble. 

I am looking forward to Monday, because it is not only payday (a glorious day in its own right) but it is the one year anniversary of Total Debt Freedom Day!

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive and keep moving forward!

Summer Days Are Here Again

It is nice to have the sliver of a reprieve from the icy cold hand of oncoming winter. I will take the warm days when I can get them and enjoy them.

It was a bit cold and yes there was snow on the weekend. It didn’t stick around, but there was snow. 

Yet this morning I walked to work in 10C and it was still dark. Again, it was nice. I even was able to have a jug shower in my trailer this morning. 

I know that this warm weather will not last forever but I will simply appreciate it as long as it is here. 

Even if it cools off, I am still thankful every day that I can be in Fall/Spring Mode and not shoved into Winter Mode (as in when I can’t use my sinks or toilet).

So, nice warm weather is a treat, and as long as it is above zero during the day . . . I’m good.

As always: Keep your head up, your attitude positive and keep moving forward!