Well, most folks list the things that they have done to save money. Here are some things that I have not done, but could do, but will not do, because I don’t want to.

1. Use cloth diapers instead of disposable. I am sorry, but that’s just gross.
2. No more satellite t.v. Come on, I gots to have my NFL, ESPN, and Comedy Central.
3. No more eating out. I like to eat out.
4. Turn down the hot water heater. Sorry folks, I loves me some hot, hot, hot showers.
5. Turn up the air conditioner. Dude, I am “chunky”. “Chunky” folks need the A.C. End of story.
6. Cut my own hair. Ummm..Listen, I am 30 years old, and I still have my own hair, and it looks like I am going to have most of it for a long time. The least I can do is take it out for a nice trim now and then.
7. Grow my own food. I struggle to keep a house-plant alive. I will not stake my nutritional future on my ability to learn to grow, harvest, and store my own produce.
8. Use generic baby formula for our child. I know it’s the same, blah, blah, blah. The doc says Isomil Similac Advance. The baby gets Isomil Similac Advance. Period.
9. Use home-made cleaners. Dude, how OFTEN are you cleaning your stuff that you need gallons of cleaner?
10. Wear “second-hand” clothes. Listen, I might borrow a shirt from a relative or a friend, but I, like, KNOW these people. I realize that their are some folks who HAVE to wear second-hand stuff, and God bless them. But, as long as I am able, my kids and I will wear new. It might come from Target or K-Mart, but it will be new.

Now, if you have been able to do some of the above things, then you are awesome! I wish that I had your ability to adapt and change. Perhaps, someday, I will learn to do without some of these things.

But, I really, really doubt it.

Quick note, it looks like the folks over at All Things Financial are in the path of Rita. My prayers go out to them!

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I check out several blogs every day, especially Personal Finance Blogs, and I am always amazed at the things that I learn. But, I must admit, sometimes the vast amount of information that is out there about personal finance can be overwhelming. So, I decided to do a few posts about organizing and simplifying your money management. Part 1, below, is a chart for organizing your bills and payments. You CANNOT create a budget without proper knowledge of where your bills are coming from, and where your payments are going. The chart is pretty easy to understand.

Now, you have a better idea of where your money will be going, and when it will be going out. Please note, in the Payment category, you can put the actual amount (if constant) of an average amount.

Now, here is what I do with this information. For every account that has a website, I go to that site, and bookmark the login page. I have then created a favorites folder in my browser that contains each and every site from which I receive a bill. I can go, as often as I want, and check the balance or the bill from every single provider. I have also set-up my online bill-pay so that I get most of my bills sent electronically, instead of on paper. In fact, I only receive two actual “paper” bills a month.

Once you begin to “see” how many bills you have to pay in a years time, you can begin to develop a better budget plan for your money.

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Carnival Time! (Actually Carnivals Time … err … Carnival Times) Well, there are 2 new financial carnivals up this week. Check them out! (Links on the upper right-hand of my blog)

First Carnival of Personal Finance over at Optimized Living.

Second, the brand new Carnival of Debt Reduction at Mighty Bargain Hunter.

I will be HOSTING the Carnival of Debt Reduction NEXT WEEK. Please have your submission in my Sunday Night, September 25, 5 PM Eastern.

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It was 99 degrees today where we live. 99 degrees. September 18, and the temperature was 99 degrees. Yes, 99 degrees.

In blog news, I have started a new “feature” here on the old ncnblog. If you check the upper portion of the right-hand column, you will see the “Posts of the Day” feature. I will list various posts from other blogs that I like. These posts will change - ummm- daily.

In personal finance news, nothing much to report. Still waiting for the old end of the month paycheck, and I am planning on sending almost the entire amount to the cc balance. (This will be my wife’s check.) We will live off of my weekly check. I am still scrounging around the old closet to find some eBay worthy items to sell. (Is it wrong to want my 2 year old to grow, simply so I can sell his old baby clothing?)

I think I am going to set up my Roth IRA for retirement investing next month. I want to be prepared to invest immediately after we are debt free. (My wife has a state retirement plan, and I have a 403b, already.)

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Okay, Here is my list of “stuff” I’d like to own after I am debt free. Will I buy these things? Hmmm..some, yes and some, no. I will make those decisions AFTER I am debt free. But, I thought I ‘d list them here (in case ya want to send me something someday..hehe).

1. Ipod Nano (These things just LOOK awesome. I have a Shuffle, but would LOVE a NANO)
2. I want a wide-screen notebook. Dell, HP, Apple, I don’t care. I JUST WANT ONE!
3. I want a sweet bicycle. Now, I am 30 years old, and have not ridden a bike for 10 years, and don’t know a quality bike from a crappy wal-snart bike, but I want to start riding. HOOK ME UP if you know what I should BUY!
4. I want a new riding Lawn Mower.
5. I want the following new yard tools: shovel, rake, hoe, grubbing rake, hedge trimmers, and clippers.
6. I want a new FULL SIZE FORD TRUCK. (Dreeeaam, dream, dream, dream)
7. I want a “MEDIA”- house in my back yard. (Picture a “work-shop” type building, but with cool a/c and nice a/v equipment. My grand-pa-in-law had a “house” he built in his backyard, where he could go chill and watch games on Sunday. I want one of these.
8. I want a pool.
9. I want an HDTV.
10. I want a new vacuum cleaner. (I know, I’m a guy, but I LIKE to vacuum…)

NOW, to the point of this post. I could HAVE everything on this list, by 5 PM TOMORROW. I have MORE THAN ENOUGH CREDIT to purchase any of these things. In fact, I could have TWO of everything listed, and still be able to borrow MORE MONEY. Why don’t I? Delayed gratification, self-discipline, and priorities. Please note, NONE of the things that I listed are out of the realm of “reality”. I did not list wild and crazy things (a diamond studded belt buckle or gold shower knobs). NO, I listed things people FINANCE every single day. They finance them because they want things NOW, NOW, NOW! We are a “3 year old” society. We want what we want, when we want it, and we fuss (mostly internally) when someone else gets more or gets it first. We need to grow UP! I decided in April to never, ever buy anything again that I couldn’t PAY FOR. Why? Because I’m such a super duper mature dude? Nope. I just wised up and realized that I don’t want to eat ALPO when I get old just so I can have a fancy mp3 player while I am young. I will wait a little while, but the stuff I want, AND retire with dignity and respect.

(Dude, I really do want that NANO, like, TODAY… Sometimes I HATE being and adult)

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