I am really loving this financial class I am taking. It has completely changed the way I look at my finances. Most people are familiar with the "savers vs spenders" scenario but Dave Ramsey classifies it as "nerds vs. free spirits." Way back when, in my younger and somewhat smarter years, I actually was a total nerd. I had a tidy little savings account and essentially no debt. Somewhere along the way, I became a total free spirit, with a very laid back attitude towards my finances.
When people are married, the free spirits can be reined in by the nerds and the nerds can lighten up with a little help from the free spirits. However, when you are a single person and in control of your finances with no one to hold you accountable, well, it can be mayhem. As I get more into this class, I am turning back into the nerd that I used to be...and I love it! Seriously, right now, I am working on my June budget and have been for the past half hour. But, the free spirit side of me did got out for dinner and two beers and dessert with a friend earlier.
One of the really fun parts of doing a budget is deciding which charity I am going to donate money to. This is silly but every month, I donate money to a different organization. I take so much pleasure in choosing which non profit to donate my money to. I research them on Charity Navigator and make sure they are at least a three star charity. So far, I have donated to ASPCA and HSUS (of course), Compassion International, Clara White Mission and Homes for Our Troops. I can't donate a lot, yet, but I think every penny counts. I'm not sure who I am going to donate to next month. I would love to buy a family a cow or goat through Heifer International but right now, my budget will only allow for a flock of geese.
Maybe for my birthday, I can get my parents to donate money instead of getting me anything. My mom is so weird about that though. She always wants to give me presents and refuses to donate the money she would spend on a gift to the charity of my choice, even though I have asked her to do it repeatedly for gift giving holidays like Christmas and my birthday. There are things I would like but there is nothing I need and I certainly don't need any more "stuff." Now that I'm living in 660 square feet with only two closets. I'm actually trying to get rid of stuff. Maybe this year, I will just say I want cold hard cash for my birthday and then I will donate it instead. I hate tricking my mother but seriously, there are people whose basic needs aren't being met and she just wants to buy me more crap.
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