Tuesday, August 31, 2021 (Day 243)
Relaxing Music for the week: The Joy of Quiet, Rain Mix: Liquid Mind (9:46) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5K8fgRuqTE
Question: What is one thing you could do today to improve your financial life?
Answer: It’s hard to imagine that we have now complete 8 months of 2021, with September 1st starting tomorrow. And we are now 3 weeks into classes, which is also amazing in and of itself.
So, what’s one thing I could do to improve my financial life? Spend my money wisely. For example, I don’t need to buy ANY new golf clubs; I’ve been hitting the ball better, especially off the tee and my scores have been getting better now that I can hit from the fairway. So, no more golf clubs. I don’t have to worry about my spending on golf outings, since I’m really good about finding great discounts (like getting greens fees and a cart for $12 for one person and $22-$30 for two people). And I don’t really spend money on many others things, since my “diet” is pretty simple and I don’t eat out much (no more than once a week with Rebecca). And I’m also paying extra on my mortgage payment so that I can find a way to have that paid off within the next 5 years – which is about the time I should have 20 years in the North Carolina system – that is, if I last that long. So I don’t know if there’s much else I can do, since I believe I’m on track to hit my retirement target by 2025.
August Reflection
What did I learn about myself this month?
I learned that I’m becoming really good about managing my/our money, especially for retirement. I’m learning that $1,000,000 doesn’t cut it any more; it’s time to think much bigger than that – and not to rely on social security.
Which of the prompts this month were most challenging? Which of my answers most surprised me?
Nothing surprised me and nothing was that challenging, since I’m think about the money thing almost every day. The one thing that I need to realize is that I can only control what’s in my control – and that God will guide me appropriately, as long as I make sound decisions. Like no more golf clubs! P.S. Now that I achieved my golf goal with the clubs that I currently have, I should be good for golf purchases. And that will save me lots and lots of money!
Based on what I’ve written, one action I want to take over the next month is…continue to save $100 per month in my emergency cash stash. The volatility of the world right now makes it important to have cash on hand in case something crazy happens, like banks close for an extended period of time. Plus, it’s just nice to know that I have another safety net.
The Dream Dean 