Holding myself accountable.......

This chapter has been about holding myself accountable to my health habits, my goals, my dreams all of it.......I consider myself to be somebody that is pretty good at dealing with finances......it has always been on my docket and my responsibility .....and while I have accrued debt at certain times in my life, I have always paid it off.......and about 6 months ago I needed to restructure some stuff......and I also don't like to have debt in this chapter as I was debt free a few months after my marriage......except for my house and my car......but I had paid all of our debt off over the last few years of our marriage, and sent him on his way with only his truck payment......and then divorced, single life began....and well debt to some degree feels inevitable, especially in this economy.....however I have restructured my debt some, and have been holding myself accountable to a savings account.....nobody would ever describe me as frugal lol:) EVER lol.........That is not my vibe......I like to be financially secure that is true, and have been for years, but I also like to enjoy life and spend my money.....so creating a savings amid those competing philosophies has been challenging......when I was a kid I had a paper route......my mom and dad wanted me to get it.....and I could spend half and I had to save half of what I made......and in the end........ despite not wanting to get off the bus after school and face my paper route every day, I loved having financial freedom then.......I bought myself a scooter, a Nintendo, one of those cool pink and gray ten speeds that were all the rage.....and so much more......and I DID THAT.....as a kid........I also bought my first car with that saved money, my Nanna and Grandpa's Nissan, I paid them what they were going to get for the trade in......and drove the wheels off of that car for YEARS........nothing has been handed to me.....that is for sure, and it has served me well for helping me find financial resourcefulness.......so this week my savings hit a respectable next threshold, and made me feel proud......because saving money by myself, while still enjoying the heck out of my life lol ain't easy.....and I have to hustle hard......I have a lofty savings goal in my mind, and the thing is I have shifted is my mindset around it......seeing that savings grow has offered me a feeling of security.......and also become a goal I am chasing, like the rest...... a challenge set forth by me! And it is not a ton of money, at all........YET:) But it is a little nest egg that feels good at this point in my life......I think for a long time I did not want the kids to feel the difference in our lives when he left......so I was trying to make up for that.....and really they haven't financially.......they still get to live in their home.....get what they need, and lots of what they want......travel more than we ever did......full bellies.....the only thing they will say they felt one day, is our 60 degree thermostat in winter......I keep it there to afford oil for this big house and don't get me started on the price for this winter, yikes.....but I supplement with electric heaters, and my fireplace, and we are fine:) So this morning finds me feeling a bit of pride for the hard work I have done in managing it all and somehow managing to grow my savings......I used my check for having my student teacher last year to kick it off and it helped it have a strong start.......the kids are going to be with me this weekend......they will go with their dad next weekend.....so I am taking them to my appointment today.....and probably will take them out to eat somewhere to thank them for rolling with their mama on her journey:) Mowing the lawn needs to happen.....and maybe some deck dismantling......and I guess this new savings journey, or renewed savings, I should say, shows me that consistency is EVERYTHING......in every area of our lives......whatever we are consistently chasing is what we are growing in our lives......and our power lies in that consistency every single day:) Happy Saturday! xoxo