Where did all our money go??

Have you ever done a budget?? Have you ever sat down and kept track of where you spent every dollar that month? Most people haven't. There are many places that we spend a few dollars here and a few dollars there that add up to big money at the end of the month.

On your way to work, did you stop for food and coffee? $6
You smoke a pack a day? $5
you go out for lunch? $6
Did you Super Size? $2 more
Snack from the vending machine? $2
Energy drink? $2 each
Beer for the game tonight? $12
munchies for the game? $8
Pick up dinner on the way home? $???

All this stuff adds up quick. For example:

Smoker, buys lunch everyday, snack from vending machine 2 times a week, energy drink in the morning. . . OVER $400 DOLLARS A MONTH!!! Poof, gone, and whatcha got??

ok, ok, you don't smoke. . .

NON SMOKER, Monday night football beer and munchies, coffee on the way to work, buys lunch half the time, energy drink in the afternoon to keep going. . .ALMOST $300 DOLLARS A MONTH!!

Now what could you do with all that money if you didn't piddle it away everyday?? I don't know anyone that would turn down that much money each month. We have bought into all the advertising, and think this is normal because everyone else does it. We throw our money away every day and then wonder where it all went. Well this is where it goes.

Save that $300 a month and you have $3,600 at the end of the year!!! That is a mighty nice vacation, or a good chunk more in your retirement. Save it for a couple of years and you have yourself a down payment for a house or a brand new car, with that new car smell and everything!! All for what, taking your lunch to work, making your own coffee, not buying beer every week, not crashing from an energy drink and then buying another one to get you back up and going. . .

Think about it. Think about it hard. Look at what you buy every day for a few dollars that you could stop and not spend money on. You will be surprised at how much more money you have at the end of the month.