Lowering stress levels

Wouldn't it be nice if you got a paycheck and then got to decide how to spend it instead of hoping that it would stretch far enough to cover all the bills for the stuff you already bought, bills you've already run up, payments you've already signed up for? Wouldn't that lower one's stress level? Imagine for a minute that you just got a paycheck and you don't have a single credit card, car payment, student loan, or house payment--the money is all yours and you get to spend it or save it or share it however you wish. Well, it doesn't have to be imaginary and it doesn't have to be at some far off date in the next decade. The first step in getting out of a hole is to stop digging; no more debt period, ever. And don't annoy me by telling me that in today's world it can't be done; it can and people do, every day. The next step is called a plan, a budget and it starts with how much money you have coming in on your next paycheck. Write this amount down and spend those dollars on paper--have a purpose for every dollar, make it work for you--what is the best use for each dollar. Concentrate on one debt at a time, I think paying off the smallest debt first gives you a boost but others pay off higher interest debts first--it doesn't matter as long as you've permanently stopped digging the hole. The third step is what makes it all work--you stick with the written plan for the next two weeks. If it wasn't on the plan, you can't have it--no whining, crying, or feeling sorry for yourself. OK, you can whine, cry, feel sorry for yourself if you want but you stay with the written plan anyway. But what about emergencies?? Well, that's why you have an emergency fund--I like $1000 but $500 will get you started; it's enough to cover most car repairs, fillings coming out of teeth, or leaking hot water heaters. Christmas is not an emergency--most banks or credit unions have a Christmas Club plan where you can have $10-15 taken out of each paycheck and ouila at the end of the year you have about $300 to spend on Christmas presents; otherwise, you bake cookies or make aprons for gifts. Lastly, you repeat the process before the next paycheck. You are in controll and you determine how the money is spent. It's a great stress reliever.

My next stress reducer will be on noise but that is yet to be written.