Comments on: Someday Syndrome

By: Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:48:26 +0000

The jars!
I received the TTDUP 09 book this week for Christmas, and I have read the entire thing. I have been trying to get my husband on board to do the jars for months now but it was a no go, always some excuse! Well now there can’t and won’t be an excuse.
Today we got paid, so today the money will be withdrawn to fill our jars for the next two weeks.
We live on very very limited income- so its difficult sometimes to prioritize, especially when it seems as though everyone in the world is better off, and everyone owns that newest coolest thing/game/clothes etc. When you live in low income, money is down right depressing. But! We are going to take CONTROL back and live with what we have and damn well like it!

By: Arma_Geddon

Arma_Geddon — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:01:47 +0000

Kathy Says:

“Right now our plan is to seriously start paying down our debt. When we come back from our February vacation to Florida.”

—–

Why in the world would you take a vacation to Florida when you are in debt?

By: Frugal Graduate

Frugal Graduate — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:17:51 +0000

We have the basics, RRSPs, wills, power of attorneys… planned saving/budget has been harder with the new house and now the holidays (although we kept to our budget for gifts!)…

From my pay and my spouses pay we need to set up a deduction for planned saving to build up that 3-6 month salary cushion (the down payment on the house eroded that quite a bit!) and the planned spending for the home repairs. We also need to sit down and plan out what exactly we will be doing in the next year since we can’t afford to do landscaping, deck, hardwood floors, furniture and trip south in one year – we need to prioritize.

So my somedays are two-fold. We will set up accounts and start automatic deductions for emergency fund and automatic deductions for planned spending on the house and the trip (plus deciding once and for all which items are the goals for this year).

On personal levels, my other someday is taking care of myself by working out and eating well – I have made great progress this year but I want 2009 to be the year that it becomes an ingrained habit versus a struggle.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:59:53 +0000

Thanks for this timely post. Just this weekend I finally decided I was going to scrapbook all the saved pictures from a few years ago that I’ve been putting off and I’m actually doing it!; going through all the kids crafts & stuff saved up..paring down pretty much everything in our house from books the kids really aren’t interested in, toys..everything in the house before Christmas hits. I’m doing it now, not just waiting for Christmas break.

It’s surprising how if you put off a few tasks here and there you eventually see you’ve got too much stuff taking up space. Someday Syndrome no more. 2009 I’m seriously focusing on the money-savings increasing and debt decreasing–and this will be much clearer if it’s minus clutter. Clutter in the house makes clutter in the mind.
Thanks again Gail! You inspire!

~One tip for people too attached to the crafts & pictures the kids have made is to group them together and take a picture. Of course, you frame and keep some..but the rest is easier to let go of. You can still see their artwork but you don’t have the clutter-just a few pictures : ).

By: Ajana

Ajana — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:31:43 +0000

Someday… as a champion procrastinator I have had years of some days. Although I still have my somedays, now I have two “this days”.

This day I will be financially solvent, technically anyway – 30 December 2008 (my credits will be more than my debts)
This day I will be debt free – 30 August 2009 (final loan payment day)

In the meantime I’m waiting for that someday when my prince will come… but I’m not holding my breath on that one!

By: Louise

Louise — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:30:41 +0000

Great post today. I have many stesses that I avoid and need to tackle! This is a good kick in the bum and inspiring!
BTW, there is a book called ‘Feel the Fear and Do IT Anyway’ — I recommend it to anyone who feels held back by fears/avoidance. It would be in any local library since it’s quite well-known!

By: Amber

Amber — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:18:59 +0000

OK, so this isn’t today, but it is soon. We are going to start living on a budget in the New Year, and using the money we save to pay down our mortgage faster. We’re savers by nature and able to live within our means, but we know that with a little extra discipline we could do better.

I use the Someday Syndrome a lot. It’s really easy when you have two little kids, because there are a lot of things that I can’t really do right now. Like sleep in, or even just sleep. I keep telling myself that it will get better as they get older. That’s entirely true on the one hand, but I also know that I have to distinguish between recognizing a season in my life and making excuses.

By: Marie

Marie — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:48:30 +0000

Michelle:
Time for a visual reminder of your accomplishments. Calculate your net worth (haves minus debts) every six months and you can see the big effect on your financial situation. A ‘debt thermometer’ is a positive reminder that your are better this months than your were last month!

By: Marie

Marie — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:45:40 +0000

Sometimes the Someday Syndrome is good… it can keep people from quitting their jobs Debt almost payed off, bad days at work, cold and dark in the morning, ooooh so tempting!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:24:45 +0000

Suzanne, I think you can use PayPal as well, which doesn’t necessarily mean needing an account set up beforehand, but you do have the option to pay with a bank card. Don’t quote me though!

I agree with today’s message being especially enlightening. This weekend I set up all my savings accounts, as well as the TFSA. January 3rd will see automatic deposits into these accounts. I’ll still have debt, but at least with savings I’ll feel like I’m progressing towards something instead of feeling like I’m constantly just digging out to finally get above ground. Paying down debt hasn’t made me feel more secure, just more like a failure because I never seemed to have anything in savings that is a ‘feel good’ kinda thing. The bonus will be that if I save chunks that grow enough to strike out one of my debts, I’ll pay it off in full and move on to saving all over again in that account all the while still paying down debt in little chunks again.

I have the debt and have to pay it back regardless, so whether I pour all my money towards it with nothing in emergency savings or if I split up some for savings and some for debt, the effect will appear different to me. So that’s the end to my financial procrastination. Seeing such large debt numbers is depressing, when there’s $0 in the savings pot. Time to change my perspective and feel like I’m doing something good for my well-being as well.

That’s my 2009 gift to myself…

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:49:47 +0000

Good wake up call today. For some of us, finances aren’t the only thing that get put off – I found another website the same time as this one. It’s called FlyLady.com, and she will help us procrastinators to get other aspects of our lives in order. Check it out. Still trying to find out if the TTDUP 2009 book is available somewhere in my town, as I don’t have a credit card to order online. Anyone know how else to get it??? Thanks.

By: michelle

michelle — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:52:17 +0000

I am a terrible procrastinator, then once I get behind, I am scared to face what I put off…then I’m even worse off. Well, now I’m facing stuff as hard and stressful as it is, I was just wondering if you had any advice about budgeting with a small business…ugh. We have a budget at home that I implemented after watching your show, but I am finding it difficult to apply it to all aspects of my business. I am almost desparate!…

By: How to Live in Canada

How to Live in Canada — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:37:11 +0000

That’s exactly what my wife and I did last Saturday. I’ve created a spreadsheet in January 2008 but it was updated until April. After that, I was not interested in any updates anymore. I know, this is wrong, but I procrastinated.

Now, that’s two of us taking care of our finances and with her help I’m sure we will succeed next year, as we’re entering the year without any debts at all.

Gail, as you said, the only way that you can pay off your debt is sometimes find a second job – that’s what I did. I am waking up 5.15am and coming back around 7pm. However, it is worth it! It really is.

By: admin

admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:33:30 +0000

Emiliano: As long as your bottom line balances, I’m okay with ramping up your debt repayment. In fact, I encourage it. I often push people to pay more off their debt to get rid of it as fast as possible. Once it’s repaid, you can reincorporate that money you’ve been putting to debt repayment into your cash flow for planned spending and for savings.

By: Geeta

Geeta — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:30:48 +0000

Thanks for another excellent post. It seems most of us are guilty of procrastinating including me. It easier to put things off to tomorrow, next week, next month and indefinately anything that might lead to a confrontation or argument. But I promise to start TODAY!

I received your TDDUP 2009 planner a couple of days ago(which I won thru’ a contest coz there was no room in the budget) and I hope(fingers crossed) that all my plans for debt repayment, EF etc. etc. will translate into reality.

Thanks for all the kicks in the butt thru the year and keep it coming.
Merry Christmas and all the best for 2009!