In Good Shape

I thoroughly enjoy the Microsoft Excel program. For a person who likes to play around with numbers, it is fun to easily manipulate financial scenarios within this program.

I cannot remember a time when I didn't have a budget. As a young child, I budgeted my allowance. As a newlywed, the finances were handed over to me because I was good at 'juggling the books'. As a young divorcee, I bought a home and provided for our little family of two. Old habits die hard. I have always budgeted and probably always will.

I've always had contingency funds -whether in the form of a savings account that was hard to get to ... to a $20 bill hidden in my wallet ... to an emergency stash of cash inside of the torn lining of my jacket. Unfortunately those emergency funds also come in the form of 'available credit' on the line of credit or a credit card. But I always have a back up plan.

I have worried endlessly about money, about my financial future, about keeping solvent and continually 'juggle the books' so that I can indulge myself in the frivolities of life.

This past month has been worrisome. I have fretted and stewed. I have juggled the numbers but the only wiggle room that I have are groceries and dancing. I cut back on both.

This morning, I balanced the books and re looked at the budget page on my Excel program. As of this moment, I'm hanging on by a thread and any expenditures between now and the end of the month will be in the red (but I still haven't gotten paid from my typing job, so it's possible I could actually come out of this month intact). As of now ... I'm doing okay.

I sighed with relief and thought "I'm in good shape ...". And then I remembered how chubby I have been feeling as I have been stuffing my body into clothes that are (now) a size too small. And I thought "Now I just need to work on getting my body into shape (sigh) ..."

If I come out of this month in the black, anything is possible!