Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Take Note Tuesday


And speaking of finances… 

Have you noticed a $9.84 charge on your debit or credit card recently?  CNN Money/Yahoo!Finance has posted an article alerting us that this relatively small, easily overlooked charge (if you don’t pay attention to your statements) might be part of a massive, worldwide scam.  As we seek to be financially fit in ’14, it’s critical that you carefully track all charges, debit card and cash transactions.  Let’s face it, how many times have you gotten an extra $20 when you went to the grocery store checkout line, and within a few days it was gone and you had NO IDEA where it was spent?  Do that once a week, and at the end of the year you will have basically tossed $1,040 out the proverbial window!  OUCH! 

I have a freebie pocket calendar that I now carry in my purse at all times, and I am striving to write down every penny I spend for this exact reason.  It’s also useful when I use my debit card for gas, etc. -- although, I am moving towards a cash-only system using the old envelope system.  That way, when you don’t have it, you don’t spend it.  And it is truly amazing how different it feels when you feel that paper money being pulled out of your hand as opposed to swiping plastic!

Additionally, just yesterday I came across a good frugal idea.  It’s called a $5 savings plan.  Every time you get a five dollar bill (well, hellooooo, Mr. Lincoln!), DON’T SPEND IT!  Put it in a special jar and don’t touch it.  Do that for the next three months, just until April 1st.  Not only will you be surprised at how much wealth you have accumulated you will feel like an April fool that you didn’t do it sooner!

Here’s the link to the article from CNN Money.  Please read it carefully, then go check your statements!!!


Blessings,

Coach Linda

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