Tallying (Dahnya)

Rihanna's anthem has been playing nonstop in my head.


And I want it all
It's gonna take more than that
Hope that ain't all you got


But, alas, our meager incomes are all we've "got". Because of this we went to see a financial planner a few weeks back. Anyone who has not gone to one, you're in for a treat. Talk about brutal reality and attempting (read, attempting) to plan for the future with what little chips you have to play with. Rose colored glasses will paint a picture filled with love, trust, togetherness and happiness. Reality dictates sacrifice, constant meetings and teamwork.


For the past few weeks, Fran and I have really buckled down to try and breakdown exactly where our money goes. Every single receipt was collected at the end of the day for four weeks straight to go into our "Receipt Envelope" (we couldn't think of a clever name for our operation- it was that much of a chore). Finally, the end of the fourth week arrived and we spread out with our calculator, calendar, notebooks, pens and the carefully hoarded slips.


It took a good hour to diligently add and classify each of the receipts. As tedious as the task we set out before us was, it was a great learning experience- not to mention the ultimate financial disciplinarian. Each receipt had us holding the other accountable and reminding each other of our goals (traveling, paying off our debt and more traveling).


Thanks to our careful collection, we now have a clear budget set for ourselves (fun fact: it takes $400 to keep our fridge stocked for a month). Everything else we were able to break down and attempt to curtail our reckless spending (ie: my clothing addiction or constant Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes). We plan to keep it going for another month or so until we get into the habit of staying true to the budget we have set (and yes, the Christmas gift budget has been set...gifts may be a bit less luxurious this year guys, sorry).

As crazy as it sounds, I'm loving it! I love the planning with Fran, I love the sharing of goals, I love the unity that comes from us sitting down and laying out our future. I won't lie though, I do wish I could stock the fall anthro catalog in my closet...