where are the goalposts?

I am a little at sea. I have embraced my task, but I'm puddling along, minding the pennies, but not feeling like we're really getting anywhere. I know why- the budget, and the goalposts. Or lack thereof. I need a chart and a graph.

It's exciting to start something new, with lofty aspirations, your heart bursting with optimism. I made a plan, and have a map of what I need to do to get there. As new issues arise, they are listed and will be duly addressed. Banking, bills, tax, interest, shopping, gifts. Plenty to investigate and keep me busy and focused. So what's with the slump?

Saving by scrimping is a slow and cumulative process. Money I haven't spent this week will eventually appear in our account. But previously when I have set a saving goal, I was a contributing earner and it was much easier to just stop spending that income and save it for a while. Now I am trying to magically accumulate more money, and every little overspend wears me down.

Like this week, for example. I got an unexpected overdrawn fee from my bank ($30), did a bulk shop at the supermarket ($60 more spent than usual) and the baker received a notice to renew his licence ($112). So the .80c that I accumulated in the Jar seems a bit ridiculous. The goal was missed by a considerable margin. From that point I start to juggle money in my mind, trying to carry over credits from one week to cover debits of the other and it gets me into a complete mess.

I can budget. How else have we managed two overseas trips in the past four years, on modest incomes? Great budgeting. Since becoming a single income household I have checked and reviewed our budget several times, seeking ways to minimise our expenses. Now I'm doing this. Like I said, it's time to get creative. Is it working yet?

I've set the bar- the weekly saving of $192. This is my third week of blogging. Do we have $600 more in the bank? Well, no. We have $200. Quite short of the mark. But I'm working up to it. Watching the pennies so the (pounds) dollars take care of themselves....There will be a chart and a graph shortly.