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Home > This may sound silly...

This may sound silly...

May 18th, 2009 at 09:07 pm

I had a bit of an epiphany last week. I was making a list of chores to do, and I realized how many things that are seemingly unrelated to personal finance actually play a part in my finances. (Bear with me -- you probably all already know these things, but it was still an epiphany for me!)

Some things are pretty obvious -- if I take the time to make a meal plan for the week, I save money because I shop with a list and I am less likely to eat out during the week. Other things are less obvious -- if I make a point to wash my shower curtain on a regular basis, then it never gets gross enough that it cannot be saved and therefore must be replaced. Which costs money.

I guess I realized that the different aspects of my life are interconnected, and it will be a lot easier to change on aspect if I am also working on the other aspects as well. Being on top of the other aspects in my life will help me to be on top of my finances as well.

So what does this mean? Well, I'm not going to change what I'm doing specifically with respect to personal finance -- I'm still going to try to spend less and save more, but I also think that I can improve my financial situation by improving my life in general.

If I make it a priority to get enough sleep, then I won't feel rushed in the morning, and therefore it will be easier to pack a lunch. If I make it a priority to exercise on a regular basis, I will feel healthier and more energetic, and I'll *want* to eat health home-cooked food rather than eating out. If I stay on top of my paperwork, I can submit flex receipts right away and earn interest on the reimbursement in my account. If I don't procrastinate, I can find gifts and plane tickets for lower prices. I can think of lots of ways that being more together will help me be better financially as well.

So from here on out I am going to (try to) practice a holistic approach to personal finance. (Hence the new title for the blog...)

6 Responses to “This may sound silly...”

  1. creditcardfree Says:
    1242678434

    It doesn't seem silly to me!

  2. Valerie Says:
    1242678862

    it's not silly at all. you are absolutely right. most people are overweight or poor because they either don't have time or the money to prepare food. the dollar menu is quick and may be "cheap", but it's not good for our health = weight/medical problems = spending more money for medication and doctor visits.

  3. miz pat Says:
    1242680105

    Actually, this cheered me up. My garage door made a horrible thump this morning, and I'm afraid i'm going to have to make a purchase, but then I read this and thought - i've saved for this kind of thing, and replacing the garage door was on my "house" list. Zeeeennnnnnnnn

    Thank you

  4. KellyB Says:
    1242682750

    Congratulations! These small epiphanies are what makes life interesting. Our A-ha! moments. Mine was when I somehow realized that if I overspent on entertainment, that money had to come out of groceries or another area. Duh!! So simple, but I hadn't looked at it that way, just figured it would all work out somehow. (Works out easier if you actually BUDGET/PLAN for it!) So good for you :-)

  5. whitestripe Says:
    1242685156

    very good post. i completely agree with you, and the 'holistic approach' is something that came to my mind a little while ago too. i guess it's kind of about leading the life you should be leading, instead of the life you do because you can't be bothered. it's about motivation. Smile

  6. lizajane Says:
    1242704338

    Not silly at all! Along the same lines, I find it interesting to notice that a lot of people that are trying to focus on finances are also very intent on decluttering. When "things" are streamlined, it seems like it's easier to streamline the budget. (I'm very un-streamlined, but trying to work on it!!)

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