Love and Money

Why is it so frightening to sit down and look at finances? I have felt the need to get a better perspective of our financial landscape now that I am employed, but I just can't bring myself to actually do it. Every day, I say to myself, "I should do this" and every day, it doesn't happen. Maybe it's because we're not living in our house, maybe it's because I want to contribute more, or maybe I'm just scare of what I'll find.

I talked to a friend of mine the other day who had just gone through her own family's finances. She told me that they were actually better off than she thought they were. While I was happy for my friend, I got this knot in the pit of my stomach at the same time. It was a knot of guilt, like I should be taking the same action.

Historically, Corey has always handled the finances in our family. Almost everything is in his name, he makes up the passwords, makes all the payments, and has all the account info somewhere. It feels so daunting to have to visit all the websites and log in to get all the information needed for an accurate financial picture. I think that's part of my aversion, the time and effort it takes.

Am I just lazy? Or does my ignorance some how excuse me from actually feeling the pressure of earning more money? As long as I don't know the real numbers, I still have some degree of separation between me and the realities of our family's money.

 I know we are not struggling, we still have a nest egg from selling the house. But now more than ever, we need to be smart about our spending and finances to keep that egg in tact. We would be foolish if we acted as if we won the lottery. The last thing I want is for us to deplete the money we worked so hard for.

I think this weekend, I will sit down and crunch the numbers. I need to let go of the fear of facing our finances.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I was speaking with another friend last week about their financial landscape. This particular friend lost their job this year and has been collecting unemployment for several months. Adding to that,  they don't really know how to pay off the debt they have already accumulated. In spite of having no job, they somehow manage day to day to keep up with the basics of food and shelter. I don't think I could begin to wrap my brain around being totally unemployed. That seems scarier than sitting down with the numbers.



So, to help out my friend, I am sending them $20.00 Fun Dollars. It's not a whole lot, but it might pay for some groceries or something. I figure when there's no occupational money coming in, any amount could be helpful. I hope they are able to find a job that works for them in the near future.

Stay strong, and know that you are loved.

$20.00 to help out a friend in need
Balance this pay cycle- $80.00
Happy Spending!