My Attempt @ A Spending Fast

I'm going to just jump right into this blog and I would like to start off by saying......"I am a shop-a-holic who is toeing the line of hoarding."  I currently do not have any rhyme or reason to the things I keep only that I buy what I see and like (especially if it's on sale).  I even think my addiction to keeping things has trickled to my online life.  I say this because I will be the first person to join a site just for the daily/weekly email updates.  And I admit I hardly ever actually open or read them.  My obsessions must stem from some deep seeded repressed feelings but I suppose that's a story for another post.....  The one daily newsletter update I actually opened and read gave me a mission to better my spending habits and possibly rid myself of the burden of debts or spending addiction.  Although it wasn't meant for me personally it was aimed at those of us who have debt or simply can't save a dime from month to month.  I looked at it as a personal challenge and it came at the beginning of a new month.  Tomorrow will be June 1st and I intend to pray and will myself through the next 30 days to spend no unnecessary money.  Through the grace of God on my side maybe I can save myself from my own monetary destruction and better the living for my son and I.  One day I will get to the point that I will feel comfortable with my finances and lifestyle.  As of now.....I am a single mother living on my own and working a part-time job trying to take care of my 4 yr old son.  I do have a problem with spending unnecessary money and not saving for a "rainy day".  It makes me think that I am not putting my son's health and safety as a priority and maybe through this challenge I will end up with the discipline to make things right in our lives.  Keep looking for my posts on my "spending fast".  I'll let you know what deal I felt like I couldn't pass up but did and I'll give you the tips on how I walked away from a good deal.  More info on the "spending fast" coming soon.

An Unexpected Insirpation

      I have to be completely honest with myself and to the general census of my readers (If i have any out there).  I don't know about the rest of the world but as far as I am concerned I only think of my job as a pay check, a way to live and raise my son.  It's no big surprise that I do not go to work to make a difference in other people's lives.  In this point in my life I had to make the decision to start over and get back to basics.  I am a bipolar, single mom with very little support (Thank you to those who are my support systems) and this means I don't handle stress as well as the next person.  I have only just recently learned about being bipolar and it has been quite over whelming.  For me, I decided to not focus on a career (because I found myself failing at life momentarily) and to focus on repairing my health for my only son who depends on me.  But I digress. My point isn't to explain my health but to share some words of wisdom from an unexpected source.  I work for a very large retail corporation who essentially wants to help families save more money so they can enjoy life. As life should be enjoyed without a failing economy. And as much as I believe this was the intention, it is not the main priority anymore.  The unfortunate truth is that we just need you to spend your money to put into their pockets.  I have to make a living too but my job is just that...a place to make a check.  Nothing particularly inspirational about that.  I am the kind of person that enjoys helping others and when I am there I do my best to greet people and let them know that not all of us are trying to steal their money to make it up that corporate ladder.  Every morning we are called into a meeting where we get preached to about how to make the customers happy so they spend more and yada, yada, yada. On one particular morning though I was in a mood to listen and really hear their message. * And here is where the real story begins* One manager said (mainly to those who come to work and expect to get paid because they showed up) "IF IT MEANS SOMETHING TO US, WE MAKE IT HAPPEN; IF IT DOESN'T, WE MAKE EXCUSES".
     Think about that for a moment....when was the last time you made an excuse?  When was the last time you did something because you felt passionate about something?  Was it for someone else or was it out of vain?  It got me thinking about my life. Including work, friends, my duty and role as a mother, my role as a person, my disability.  What she said really rattled my brain.  I work to live but most importantly I work to give my son the chance to live.  What is it that matters in life? A lot of time I lose track of the important, necessary things in life. I am often making excuses for things I do not like, things that mean nothing to me.  My challenge for myself is to stop making excuses and start coming up with reasons why things should be more important to me.  Life is hard for everyone for many different reasons.  As hard as it may be for us, we have to take charge and make life mean something to us.  I developed my motto for myself a little while ago (even though it meant something different when I came up with it) and I am confident enough to share it on my blog. My life motto is: MAKE EVERY DAY A STORY WORTH TELLING!  Start creating your stories and stop creating excuses.