Inside this link I have already posted my method of devising a daily budget.

Or you can just follow this link:

Create A Daily Budget

So to confront this behavior, no more debit card transactions. Cash is how I shall spend. But now there are some key things to do when spending cash.

First, never carry more than you are able to spend.  Keep the rest, for bills, or for planned purchases at home in a locked safe.  If you go to the grocery store with only the cash you budgeted it is impossible for you to overspend.  In order for this to work you must create and maintain a living budget.  (I’ll go over that more later.)

Second, keep a record of exactly what you spend.  If you cary $20 in your wallet for lunches throughout the week don’t just spend until it’s gone.  Keep a little notebook or blank business card in your pocket to record everything you buy.  And, as an added tool for later, write down when and where and for what you spent that money on.  This will help us recognize a spending pattern after you’ve done it for a while.

Third, keep emergency funds available.  I like to keep $10 in my car, as a just in case I need gas and it slipped my mind.  This is protection against human error, and we are all human so it happens to all of us once in a while.  Be strong, do not use this emergency fund for fast food drive through unless you are absolutely starving to death.

-Seth

A little more insight on myself, I am a martial arts practitioner and instructor. Along with one of my closest friends, we co-founded Bahai Arnis de Mano. A Filipino influenced style focused on taking, in my opinion, a very effective self defense art and making it more about lessons to teach the youth. All this while still giving them defense tools. Okay side step over

In my early studies, one of my instructors lent me a book to read.  It was “Zen in the Martial Arts” by Joe Hyams.  This book held many great lessons on philosophical and psychological aspects important to martial arts training.
Joe did a bit of name dropping along the way, but this book did give me additional vision on the everyday life of Bruce Lee as an instructor.  Joe should be proud of all the great people he had to influence his personal art.

Anyway, The reason I bring up this book is a small chapter in the middle.  It’s only half a page of text but to me it’s worth any long written tome.  The chapter is titled “Conquer Haste.”

By all means pick up this book, it’s a quick light read.  and I believe it’s only about $7.00 or $8.00 currently.  I could easily put the chapter up here but I dare not infringe on Joe Hyams’ well deserved copyrights.

I will however, quote the last statement in the chapter.  As Master Han told Joe, “Those who are patient in the trivial things in life and control themselves will one day have the same mastery in great and important things.”

As a business manager I handle it operationally everyday with budgeting and limiting spending and payroll.  In my personal life I never had the organization to control and monitor my own financial flow.

My life seems out of control because I can’t maintain a standard of living. One week I overspend and then the next I scramble to make bills and fall short.  It’s a vicious cycle that has ruled my world for too long.
I could break down the budget monthly.  That’s what I do at work, for the sake of reporting to my boss.  But, in personal finances that has not worked yet.  Too many variables.

I have also broken things down to every paycheck, which is every other week. I have also tried budgeting weekly, but the broad scope has not helped me. Often on Monday of the first week I think, “Oh I’ve got $140, I can blow $50 on a fancy dinner and movie with my date.” This leaves me with only $90. Of which I need to spend $40 on gas. Then I always have to pinch pennies to last to the next payday.

So no more splurging, and no more big picture. A wise many once said, “Every journey begins with a single step.” One step at a time and one day at a time is how I am going to conquer my financial bad habits.

Seth Houston