Financial Weakness

How ironic is it that someone who teaches budgeting can't seem to pull her own budget together?

I usually pride myself on my ability to learn quickly about something, but yet, this is one area that I seriously struggle in.  So much so, that this summer is going to be a painful, and admittedly necessary, lesson.

I don't lack for "stuff".  Even my trips to Africa & Latin America don't seem to have cured my enjoyment of shopping.  The biggest drain on my finances, though, is my food budget...or let's be honest, my food expenditures.  I don't seem to be able to stick to a budget.  I've tried before, but most of the ways I've done it are confusing, don't fit my lifestyle, and are difficult to follow.

I took my Dad to the driving range for Father's day.  On the way home, I told him I'd take him to play St. Andrews for his 70th birthday (year...no one wants to golf in December there!).  He admitted that'd be nice, but before that happened, I'd need to learn some financial responsibility.

He was absolutely right.

I didn't get summer school this year.  My summer budget is miniscule and I'm just hoping I can afford my groceries.  This seems like the dilemma someone making less than minimum wage would be facing.  Not someone who makes somewhere in the ballpark of $55 000 a year.

I did a quick mental tally in my head the other day.  I've been at this job for 4 years, and over the past 4 years, I've made a disposable income (take home) of  approx $152 000.

$152 000!!!???  Where did it go??  I feel like I have nothing to show for it, so I started doing some math:

It has to be my rent, right?  I mean, $1100 a month has got to take a good chunk out of that $152 000.  Wrong.  Rent (3 years) of $1100 per month: $39 600.  That still leaves $112 000 out there that I can't completely account for.  If I'd been savvier with my money, I'd have a good chunk of a down-payment ready.

I don't buy a lot of clothes, I don't buy computer games, get super expensive salon treatments, or have a gambling addiction.  So where did my money go?
I can't answer that...and that's a scary thing.

Time to grow up, Steph.  Time to realize that you HAVE to watch these things, and you HAVE to budget.  Otherwise, you might as well be tossing money into the garbage every day.  I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands this summer, so it's a good time to learn.

If you've come across any good financial resources in your online travels, send them my way.  I'm going to start first with a Canadian book, "Smart Cookies" and work my way from there.  What tips do you have for sticking to a budget?