Lump Sum Payment

Well, the lump sum payment for my next six month has hit my bank account. Wow, it looks like a lot of money and the trick is to not spend it all before the six months is up. So I have two plans.

First, I am going to move half of the lump sum payment over to another account, in another bank that I will leave until I truly need it. My goal is to not dip into this account until month five.

Second, I am going to give us the amount I will be getting on unemployment as our living expenses. This is $200 a paycheck less than what we were coming home with previouly but I think we can do it. This will give me an additional few weeks of pay and will ensure when we go on unemployment that we can survive on it. Thus giving us financial peace of mind until March 2010.

I don't know if it will work, but I'm hoping we will be able to make this plan work and will simplify, simplify, simplify...

The American Financial Diet

Well, there you have it. We were on the American financial diet for last 5 months and now we are spending again. It's like the Atkins, Zone or Somers diets where we deprive ourselves of that which makes us happy and then we go full boat the other way. So the economy is starting it's slow and treacherous turn around. It's like the Titanic that continues to move at a slow pace because of the weight of the boat. Our economy is turning at a slow pace because of the weight of our unemployment. But turning it is, we sacrificed for five or six months and that is all we can stand. Tax refunds are coming in and we are spending them. All that we put off purchasing for ourselves, we are now spending to get what we want.

I wonder, do we have the sustenance to get back on the savings diet? Do we have the courage to turn this vessel with wise purchases and not get ourselves back into the same credit mess? Do we have the ability to purchase American products so we can keep Americans employed?

Only time will tell. I pray we have the ability to be thoughtful purchasers, good stewards of the money given to us and givers of hope. Let's get on the financial diet together again and beef up the savings for a rainy day.

Staying in Shape

Since the layoff, I've found that I can easily lay on the couch day in and day out with no regard to time. It's gluttonous how one can easily fall into this pattern. So a group was formed. It's our running group for a few of us who are job hunting. We join together at Lake Harriett and do a lap, maybe two. We commisserate on jobs lost, we encourage for interviewing, we give pointers for resumes, we talk politics and kids and we get moving. These are the best parts of my week, it's free, it's socializing with others and it's keeping us moving in the right direction.

Running is the easiest sport to pick up and it's the most inexpensive. Certainly anyone can make it expensive with the gadgets you can purchase to go along with running. However, you truly need running shoes ($50, bought on sale) and a street, that is all you need. We are blessed in Minnesota to have multiple lakes in the area to run around which gives us a great path and wonderful scenery to admire.

Staying in shape will help you remain confident in yourself and help you project that confidence in your interviewing. The best part is the cost is minimal to start and you will actually save money on medical bills in the future by getting into shape. On a budget or not, this is a great way to exercise. Try it and let us know how it goes for you!