still on track

here's a confession:

i do this all the time - the only difference is that *this time* i've got a blog. 

i go through these spurts where i try to be all organized and strict with myself and my spending but i secretly use it as an excuse to buy new pens, calendars to write down payment dates and due dates of bills, buy magazines or books about money, etc, etc, etc. 

i can usually keep it up for about 2 weeks tops and then i run out of steam. i know it's only been a few days but i really feel like this time it's going to stick... and honestly, i think it's because of the accountability the blog provides. 

thanks for checking in on me and lending me support - it's gonna be tough but i know i can do it!

this evening i spent time on mint.com updating my categories and really setting my monthly budget. i LOVE that site. if you haven't checked it out then do it now. it's scary to see how much i spend on clothing and magazines.... speaking of magazines, one of my clients gave me two of her old issues of Money Magazine to look through and I was so disappointed and overwhelmed. It seems like all of the info in those magazines is geared towards people in a totally different situation than I find myself in. They talk incessantly about 401Ks and stock options - I currently have neither. 

I've been thinking about hiring a financial planner but I want to see how it goes on my own first... see what headway I can make on saving a little money before I run off and spend said money for someone to tell me what to do with it - makes sense?

PROGRESS: 

today i ate both meals at home. faux-turkey sandwich/grapes/nuts for lunch and a faux-philly cheese steak sandwich for dinner - YUM! 

we have an appointment with the mortgage broker this friday and we'll see what that brings - fingers crossed.