If money grew on trees, we sure wouldn't have to worry about deforestation...

I view saving money as a new game to play -- a fun hobby I'm working to master. However, unlike scrapbooking, or kickboxing, or even writing, this hobby has a certain edge of urgency propelling it... and if I neglect practicing the game, I will fall behind in something a lot more dramatic than numbers on a scoreboard. If I'm not careful, I could fall behind in life. I realized this very starkly after reading some blog or article, when the writer pointed out that he was in his late twenties, and had little to show for his life besides a degree and a few thousand dollars in the bank. He calculated the amount of money he had made over the space of time he had been working, and yet now somehow still had very little to show for it. I'm not quite at that same point in life, but I'm far enough along so that I need to get my bearings and figure out where exactly I'm headed. Or at least... the general direction in which I'm headed. And that includes getting a handle on how much I'm spending, how much I'm saving, and how much progress I'm making in paying off my school loans. If that seems simple to you, then kudos on having a clearer head than I do, or maybe just initial advantages I lacked.

If however, you're floating along in the same boat as me, a little foggy on where exactly your money goes and how to stretch it further, or a little apprehensive about whether the sails are taking you in the direction of your future or just around in circles, then please join me for a day at sea... but with the shore in sight! Already I've gotten my bearings somewhat, and have learned a few of the most basic skills needed for successful navigation, so I know it can be done... and the company would be very welcome.

Perhaps in time we will journey far enough to even venture into the land of IRAs and 401ks and dream-jobs, but for now I will be focusing on the day-to-day of getting by, and getting ahead, and getting where I want to go. Basic, but entirely essential. And incredibly empowering! Come along and see. :)