Playtime Is Over

When I started blogging my debt in April 2007, I did it to give the monster a face. I figured that exposing myself would force me to be accountable. And it's worked. However, this year has found me basically on autopilot. Sure, I've been paying the required amount to be debt free by my original goal of December 2010, but since then, I've decided on October 10, 2010, to be The Big Day. Unfortunately, I haven't put forth the extra effort to make that revised date happen.

Added to that, my savings has taken one hit after another. Sometimes it's been for necessities like auto repair, personal property taxes, medical care, and the like. But I've also used savings for things like a new TV and some spiffy black boots.

Also, I just had my mother up for a week. We had fun, and she helped with a lot of stuff while she was here. But I still withdrew about $250 before she arrived to pay for a variety of things, including groceries in preparation of her arrival. (She eats very Southern, while I tend toward lighter fare when I'm alone. But it was vacation, so...) I'm sure that when I do the monthly update for October I'll fall out my chair from shock.

It's going to take a miracle for me to reach my $10K savings goal by 10/10/10. (Really -- a miracle.) At the rate I'm going, I'll be lucky to meet my debt freedom goal by then.

I have to get serious about this whole thing again. To get back on track, I'm declaring October a no-spend month. My goal is to go through October without spending any money on anything frivolous (for me, that usually includes clothes and books). I haven't done that in a while, and I think I've suffered for it. And what better time to do it than a year before my declared debt-free date?

I'm not saying it's going to be easy. I know it won't be. But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Wish me luck.