In Thoughts

Dearest friend,

Things are looking much better today. I just want you to know that.

You made me feel supported, understood, and humbled.

I didn’t ask for help but you gave it anyway, in the form of love, good advice, and even money. It’s getting me through a rough patch indeed.

One of you even gave me a copy of the You Need a Budget software, with the stipulation that I use it or suffer a virtual ass-kicking! I am setting up my account as we speak. 😉

This will be the Summer of Solvency. I am going to make financial adulthood my priority if I have to drag myself kicking and screaming to a positive bank balance. Stay tuned.

In love and gratitude,

LaVonne

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Showing 9 comments
  • yolanda
    Reply

    LaVonne! I tried commenting on your last post but comments were closed.
    I’m so sorry to hear about your trouble and wanted to chime in and say, yea, been there.
    And now I’m glad to see this post. Time takes care of everything. Time and money.
    I don’t have much but if i can help…
    give me a holla.

    • LaVonne Ellis
      Reply

      Thank you, Yolanda — no worries, the help I have received made things much less dire. I still need to get myself out of a mess but it’s doable.

      p.s. Sorry about comments being closed. I was warned by my webmistress to set them to close after a day because of some cyber attack going on at the time. I’ll check with her to see if the coast is clear now.

  • Kat Sturtz
    Reply

    Love You Need A Budget (YNAB). It’s an awesome approach to managing money. It requires a different _mindset_ about what constitutes budgeting and such. Take time to watch the how-to videos. Take advantage of YNABs forum (tons of great Q&A and advice there, plus the many freebie training webinars offered (you might even win stuff — I won a t-shirt once smile emoticon ) And DO NOT hesitate to rewatch trainings plus stop and restart (immediately) the YNAB process as you get a better handle on using it, plus the shift in mindset.
    — BTW, Kudos whomever it was gifted you a copy!

    • LaVonne Ellis
      Reply

      Kat, I am working through the forum right now, and am registered for tomorrow morning’s training webinar. 🙂

  • Lois
    Reply

    Hi LaVonne,

    I tried to comment on your last post as well but as Yolanda said, the comments were closed. Having said that, I just want to say that it’s clear from all of us that you’re not alone – not alone in money-land, not alone in kindred-spirit-land, not alone in any aspect of your life. Yes, it feels lonely out here, but we’re all in this with you.

    You’ve gotten some excellent advice from some others so I won’t add to it, but I will tell you to Google low-income spay/neuter clinics – they are everywhere and San Diego has lots of options for people who need help fixing their pets (I used them myself some years back). Since you’re headed to San Bernardino County, you might also check their options. Yes, it’ll probably still cost some money but it won’t be as much as if you didn’t accept the county’s help.

    The other thing I’ll add is to the voices that have commented on the negative self-talk – there’s nothing to be gained by beating yourself up. Cut it out. When you hear one of those comments float into your head, just watch it float right on out; and then right behind it, turn that thought into a positive one – use the same phrase but change the words to things like “I can do…” instead of can’t do or “I’m doing the best I can” instead of “I’m such a fuck-up” or “My next decision is going to be the best one for me and Scout” instead of “why the hell did I do .” You have talents, you have skills, you have compassion, you have awareness, you have friends, you have a place to live, you have Scout, you have us.

    Rock on!

    — Lois

    • LaVonne Ellis
      Reply

      Thanks Lois, I have been looking into low-cost clinics in town but time is running out because I’m leaving in a few day for Big Bear. Hoping to find something there.

      • Lois
        Reply

        PS. Just to let you know: I clicked the box to be notified when additional comments were left on this post but I wasn’t notified. Perhaps there’s an update or something that needs to be done?

  • Pia
    Reply

    Making a budget is a great way to learn, apart from having everything set up and visible, simply doing it keeps it at the front of your mind in a different way and programs YOU to become more efficient somehow. It becomes some kind of sport too to make ends meet and then some. Good luck!

    • LaVonne Ellis
      Reply

      Thanks Pia! I do budget in my own way, which apparently isn’t enough. I’ve been adding up all the bills and making sure there is enough to cover them in my account each month when my check is deposited. Then I let autopay take over. Trouble is, I tend to underestimate my grocery/gas/spending expenses. That’s where I get in trouble. I am looking forward to YNAB’s better way!

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