#dont #hand #finances #wrong
How good that you have gotten more control over your finances.
“Thank you, I’m really happy with it too. Before, I didn’t think about my money. My salary came in and after a few days it was often gone. The last two weeks of the month were mainly stressful until the next deposit. I had no idea at all about where my money was going. When it was gone, it was gone.”
Hmm, that’s not nice indeed. When did you think: this has to be different?
“My relationship ended and our house was sold at a loss. At the age of 30, I also thought it was time for me to get a grip on my finances. I just have trouble looking ahead. And understanding that if I spend something today, I might get into trouble later. I am also quite sensitive to impulse purchases.”
What kind of impulse purchases?
“For example, if a Harry Styles concert is announced abroad, I buy tickets. Only later do I realize that I also need a hotel and plane tickets. And yes, then the costs will increase considerably, of course.”
How did you get a grip on that?
“I turned to the municipality for help. He connected me to a buddy who mapped out the finances with me. She now comes to my house once a month, sometimes a little more often, and then we make money pots together. We also have good conversations about my publishing behavior. Things are not always going well, but it is a start.”
How nice that such an initiative exists! So you prepared the jars in your cash book together with your buddy?
“Beats! For example, I can spend €250 per month on doing fun things. When that money runs out, I simply can’t do fun things anymore. But I do notice that if she doesn’t come for a while, things quickly go wrong again. If another fun event is coming up, I’ll transfer some money from my piggy bank for it. But if I know she will come by the following week, I won’t do that.”
