Caitlin O'Toole writes the Miss Jobless Chronicles for MediaBistro.

How have I survived months of un- and underemployment?

I put away emergency money away for years. I was always the annoying friend who would say, "No, I can't go to that new movie, I'm trying to save money"; or, "Let's get a six-pack and go to my house, it's cheaper than happy hour." But it paid off:

I saved one full year's worth of expenses—enough to get me through a lot of my underemployment crisis.

Besides wielding that big money-saver, "NO", here's how I did it, despite living in New York, one of the priciest cities on the planet.

I quit smoking. I had been smoking two packs a day—$20 a day X 7 days = a whopping $560 a month. I don't know where I even got the money in the first place.

I learned to cook chili. It lasts five days and it's a great protein-jolt.

I tossed my checkbook. Seriously. Paying with cash or money orders for everything can be a pain, but I always knew down to the dime how much I'd spent and how much I had left. No more late fees, no more negative balances!

I saved long-distance. I transferred all my savings to an account that didn't have an ATM card attached to it.

I joined the cheapies. Big cities offer lots of freebies if you keep your eyes peeled, and scour websites geared toward the livin'-on-less lifestyle, like Brokelyn, which list everything from free yoga classes to beer tastings.

Bottom line:
I still had a life, I just didn't pay as much for it.

How are you all doing?
How have you learned to cut back, especially in times of un/underemployment?

Caitlin O'Toole writes the Miss Jobless Chronicles for MediaBistro.

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Caitlin O'Toole writes the Miss Jobless Chronicles for MediaBistro.

When you're under- or un-employed for a long time, like me, you begin to dwell on all the material things you don't have. The catalogs that land in your mailbox seem to be sent by cruel merchants, insensitive to your plight.

In self-defense, I sometimes engage in what I call "shopping bulimia", which is the act of buying something—or a lot of things—that I can't afford, only to return everything the next day. That way, you psychologically experience the 'gain', but without the 'pain.'

Occasionally, I dabble in "retail begging."

Recently, I went to J. Crew to admire a chambray shirt.

I take it up to the most sensitive-looking saleswoman and bat my long lashes.

"Can I have this?"

"Can you 'have' it? You mean, like, can you buy it?"

"No, can I have it."

"It's $69.95."

"Oh, OK. Thank you."

Score: J. Crew-- 1; Me--Zip.

But wait, there's more, as Caitlin tries another store.

Sometimes, I'm a bit more aggressive. Like the day I hit up Lucky Brand Jeans on 22nd and 5th Ave. The manager, Muriel, was there. My bulimic strut had been fairly successful with her.

"Hi," I say, fondling a Triumph motorcycle t-shirt. "Can I have this?"

"What do you mean 'have it'? For free?"

"Yes. Can I have this."

"No, you can't have it."

"Seriously," I say. "Is my 'having' this one thing going to propel Lucky Brand into bankruptcy? We can barter. I'm a writer. I can write signs for you or something."

"I'm sorry," Muriel fakes a sympathetic look. "We're not in the business of giving away our clothes or bartering."

"Oh. Thanks."

At OMG Jeans on 7th Ave, I try a different approach.

"Hi," I tell the manager, clutching a pair of white 501s. "I'm unemployed and I need a nice pair of pants for business casual interviews. Can I have these?"

"No, but I'll tell you what! We're having a sale on jeans today — two for $79.95."

"Yes, but I don't even have $9.95. Can't I just have them?" I try the eyelash trick.

"Well, what I can do is offer you my employee discount—if you keep it under your hat."

(I pray that doesn't really mean 'if you sleep with me.')

I'm so excited that I whip out my "only for emergencies" credit card and buy three pairs of jeans—a white pair, a shrink-to-fit pair, and a skinny black pair that I had absolutely no business buying (muffin top).

I smile at my semi-achievement and leave the store, having binged on jeans. Halfway home, I head back and purge: I return everything. Score: OMG Jeans—3; Me—0. But in a good way.

Fess up
Do you go faux shopping? Join the conversation.

Read more...

Amanda Steinberg is the founder of DailyWorth.
When I was a kid, being raised by a single mom, money was tight. But I always believed that when I crossed a certain income threshold the money stress would evaporate. I'd be free of the need to be frugal—because I'd be able to buy whatever I wanted or needed.

One of the great, ongoing revelations of my adult life is that, for most people, myself included, that's not true. Despite having an excellent income—one year's earning usually surpassing the last—my husband and I still have financial stress and need to make mindful money decisions.

Coming to terms with the real cost of living means that I'm constantly overhauling that old list of "I thought I coulds" and "I should be able tos." A few examples, and how they're changing:

I thought I'd be able to afford a few new outfits every season.
Despite all the "save more" cheering that we do here on DailyWorth—oh, how I'd love to drop $500 every quarter on a few wardrobe refreshers. Truth is, that money belongs elsewhere, if we're going to stick to our goal and save 20% of our take-home pay.

I thought I'd be able to take maternity leave
As the CEO of two companies (DailyWorth and Soapbxx) that depend on my oversight, I wasn't able to take off even a week when either of my kids was born. With my second—my daughter—I finally mastered the art of breastfeeding while typing. Feet on stool, pillow on lap, baby on pillow, knees pulled up, feeding baby, and typing. Here's an ancient post about it.

I'd enjoy regular, womanly pampering.
Haircut-and-color, mani/pedis, waxing—I assumed these were a basic right of being female. These days as we look for more ways to cut, so that we can truly max out our retirement, I've said goodbye to mani/pedis (doing them to myself while watching "Modern Family" isn't so bad), and am toying with DIY hair color touch-ups. Got any product recommendations or tips? I'm all hair, I mean, ears.

I'd zoom around on the Acela.
As someone who travels weekly between NYC and Philadelphia for work, I used to be an Amtrak girl—happily nestled in the cafe car, laptop open. Last month, I traded in my $500 per month Amtrak habit for the Megabus—making that now an $80-a-month cost. In truth—other than the constant jerking—it's not that bad. I'm now a bus girl.

I'd have a weekly cleaning lady.
Had one, loved her, can't afford it right now.

It's painful to cross those old daydreams off my list. But I take pride in the new realities: smarter spending, steadier savings, a sense of control.

Read more...

Gabrielle Bernstein is a motivational speaker and author of "Add More ~ing To Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness."

Blame less
A topic at the forefront of my mind is the unfortunate fact that women still earn 20% less than men.

I am so pissed off, thinking of my hardworking female contemporaries under-earning. My immediate reaction has been to blame men, society and government for putting us women in this situation.

But the self-help junkie in me knows better.

A money moment
Rather than blame others for my discomfort, I chose to turn inward. I asked myself, "Why do these statistics make me so angry?"

After I calmed down, my inner voice (aka ~ing) responded, "You're angry because you too are under-earning."

Wow! My ~ing was right on the money. It's not that others are undervaluing me, it's that I am undervaluing myself.

True value
This revelation caught me off guard. For nearly a decade I've perceived myself as a kick-ass businesswoman. I've started several businesses, closed deals, managed my books, paid my taxes—you name it.

Yet, despite what I'd always considered an amazing track record—I knew deep down that I didn't always earn what I could, or charge what I was worth.

But why?

In order to help me understand this issue, I turned to the expert—my dear friend and founder of DailyWorth, Amanda Steinberg.

"Women often approach jobs and contracts with fear and insecurity, hoping 'they'll want us,' and not thinking about the established market value of what we bring to the table," Amanda told me.

"It's more common for a female job candidate to ask what the job pays, rather than walking in the door, clear about her own bottom line."

As I've learned, when your inner sense of worth grows, your earnings jump. Here are steps I've been taking:

1. No pain, no gain. Most change can cause growing pains. In order to move through them you must be willing to accept discomfort. For me, even the topic of negotiating, raising my rates or spending less made me feel nauseous. I found that as I entered into these conversations, I would defend my old patterns in an effort to stay safe. But I braved the discomfort and committed to change by welcoming everything that came along with it. I shifted my inner dialogue from, "That doesn't feel good. Run!" to "Bring it on!"


2. Practice, practice, practice. Regardless of how uncomfortable I felt, I practiced negotiating every chance I'd get. I knew it was the only way to change long-held patterns. I negotiated everything from retail purchases to sponsorship deals. Each time I practiced this new behavior I felt more worthy. Ironically, I enjoyed my practice period. This step helped me to transform my fear around negotiating as I settled into a new perception of my worth.


3. Stop apologizing. I noticed something funky during my practice period. Each time I asked for what I wanted, I felt as though I needed to apologize—often by over-justifying my requests. Although I'd acquired the chutzpah to ask, each time I'd over-talk my negotiations and sabotage the deal.


4. Close the deal with confidence. When you believe you're worthy, others believe you're worthy. To get into that space, I'd sit in a ten-minute meditation and imagine myself signing the contract on a massive sponsorship deal. Then, I'd see myself cashing the check. Most importantly, I'd hold the vision long enough to feel worthy.
   
   My boyfriend, who happens to be a killer negotiator, gave me a great tip: "When you're finished asking for what you want, shut up." Man, is that right! In order to truly own your worth and close a deal, you must learn to be silent. There's no need for further explanation when you know your worth.

I continue to practice these tools daily and have experienced miraculous results. I'll negotiate with anyone, visualize and ask for more any chance I get. All for the sake of truly know~ing my worth.

Gabrielle Bernstein is a motivational speaker and author of "Add More ~ing To Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness."

Have you ever realized that your self worth wasn't as strong as you thought? Share your insights here.

Read more...

MP Dunleavey is DailyWorth's Editorial Director.

Stress Spending
Last weekend was a hectic (but fun) time with family—but it was peppered with work, and followed by a high-pressure Monday morning meeting.

Worse, everywhere I went there was another store window with "SALE" plastered all over it. And... all I wanted to do was shop.

This Is Your Brain on Sales
It was as if some part of my brain took over, and said that it was OK to cut loose because I was stressed—not because I had any extra cash.

I write a lot about the psychology of money and spending, including this recent MSN column about stealth budgets. I know from long experience that I tend to be an emotional spender—and many studies show that for some people (ahem) spending releases happy chemicals in the brain.

Cashflow Control
So, there I was, staring at the mouth-watering Anthropologie window. I was smart enough to ask myself: Why are you giving yourself license to spend?

"Because I'm stressed! And then I'll feel better!" came the merry reply.

"You can't shop when you're all wound up," I told myself. And then, dear DW readers... I walked away.

Bottom Line
It's possible to triumph over long-held, unhealthy patterns—and I'm living, money-saving proof. Tell us about your financial victories here.

Read more...

Power point presentation
If you felt a blast of positive energy last night, either your tax refund arrived early—or you sensed the love emanating from the "Know~ing Your Worth" event, hosted by motivational guru Gabrielle Bernstein, author of "Add More ~ing to Your Life," featuring DailyWorth founder Amanda Steinberg.

Right on the money
We're banking on the love factor—because it was a night to remember. Gabrielle guided a group of over 150 women (many of you!) to find the source of their self-worth.

Amanda brought those lessons home with strategies for earning more, saving more and spending less. (MP Dunleavey and Jen Groover, creator of the famed Butler bag and author of "What If? & Why Not?" wrapped up the night.)

Know Your Worth
Amanda, Gabrielle, Jen and MP approached self-worth and net worth from all angles. Some highlights:

• Get clear about your worth. State it, repeat it, own it. "Don't mess around," Gabrielle said.
• Accept discomfort. Building a sense of self-worth can be challenging—even painful. Ask yourself, "Where does it hurt?", to learn what you need to work on.
• Earn more now. "Women earn 20% less than men," Amanda noted. Change your net worth now by earning more. Set lofty goals. Research your market value. Up your rates. Ask for a raise.
• Never believe your "limitations." Jen said: "When I got the idea to start a line of handbags, I said to myself, 'You can't even draw'." But she stuck with her vision, hired people to help her—now she's a wealthy entrepreneur.

How's your inner sense of self-worth? Tell us.

Read more...

Mikelann Valterra, director of the Women's Earning Institute, is a prosperity teacher and money coach.

It caught up to me one day, back when I was married. I found myself screaming at my husband to make his own dinner while throwing a box of breakfast cereal on the table in front of our son. They looked at me, bewildered. My inner good girl, who thought she was super woman, had snapped.

The dreaded second shift. While women have made great strides in the work world, we have not made enough headway in the domestic sphere. Many women work all day, and when they get home, there's more work waiting. A study published in Women Don’t Ask, by Linda Babcock, reported that full-time working women do over 33 hours of domestic chores a week, while their male counterparts do about 16.

Babcock's findings have been documented by many other researchers. While most agree that men today do more domestic work than in years past, the split is still far from 50-50. A heavy domestic load does not allow us to earn at our full potential.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 66% of women with children 17 or younger work full- or part-time. We women have focused for so long on other people that it is often difficult to focus on ourselves and our own careers. So we attempt to be Superwomen: we work diligently in our businesses and continue to care for our family’s needs.

The reality is, the Superwoman Syndrome is far too costly—in time, stress, our health, and personal and financial well-being. A greater balance is required, and we have to insist on it.

If we have partners, it’s time to talk to them. I used to cook more—before that fateful "dinner incident." This was convenient for my hard-working husband. But when my business expanded and my stress levels began skyrocketing, we talked. Was it convenient for him to cook more? No. But he did it. His career was not more important than mine, even if he was making more money than me.

This is an issue for women with and without children. Many of us need to put extra energy into our careers. However, we juggle errands and domestic To Do lists during the day, and come home to laundry, groceries that need buying and homes that need cleaning. What can we do?

1. Let go of perfectionism. The sheets don’t get changed as often. My base-boards are dusty. (Sorry, Mom.) Your partner may not have the cleaning standards or routines as you do. Let it go.


2. Compromise. I used to pick up my son every day after school. But when I expanded my business, this was no longer possible. After dealing with motherly guilt, I put him in after-school care three days a week. He’s very happy there with his friends and gets his homework done as well. And guess what? My stress level dropped!


3. Delegate or hire help. The benefits of a house-cleaner far outweight the costs. I even know women who use services that provide a week's worth of frozen meals. Now that I balance single parenthood, many meals are frozen. So what!


4. Talk about your balancing act, with your mate, friends, co-workers. The Superwoman Syndrome has to stop. We must equalize the roles of the sexes in the home. If you are working full-time, regardless of how much money you make, you should not be doing more domestic work than your partner.

Remember, if you are trying to earn at your potential, it’s time to put a stop to visions of Superwoman. Superwoman is really just the supreme Good Girl. She is stressed, unhealthy, and doesn’t make great money—trust me.

Mikelann Valterra, director of the Women's Earning Institute, is a prosperity teacher and money coach.

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She has a good income, heinous debt, she's planning her wedding and—oops!—her fiancé just quit his job. DW reader Danielli wants off the financial rollercoaster, but how? Here the third installment in her series for DW. Read Part I and Part II here.

It has been almost three months since I first pledged to improve my financial health. While I still have a long way to go before I’m where I want to be, I can confidently say that I’m making progress. I’m starting to feel less like Old Mother Hubbard and more like the Little Engine That Could.

Some milestones:

• My savings account is no longer for show. There’s money in it—in the triple digits... $276.19 to be exact!


• I’m becoming a financial nerd. By doing my homework and taking some action, I’ve been able to cut costs on some expenses. For instance, I talked to my doctor about medication alternatives and now pay $30 less each month... breathing room is nice!


• I’m starting to feel in control. No more delinquent bills and the shame that goes with them!

The biggest thing, overall, is that I’m becoming more aware of my financial self and behavior. As a result, certain things are becoming more instinctive, like passing up the pre-washed, pre-sliced apples at the grocery store for whole fruit instead. It may seem trivial to most, but for me, it’s a responsible financial move that represents progress.

My current focus: Understanding needs versus wants. To some degree, these are pretty black-and-white.

Needs (Go for it!): Rent, bills, groceries, medication, dog food, parking tickets...

Wants (Whoa, horsey!): Videogames, jewelry, Starbucks, Hawaiian vacations, a French bulldog...

Unfortunately, life is also fraught with grey areas that can throw you into a tizzy. I call these the “in-betweens,” a hybrid of what you want but may also need.

These are things I could probably live without... but the question is, should I?

In-Betweens: Haircuts, clothing, shoes, girls nights out, pedicures, art supplies...

It's true that I may not need any of these things. But they do help me feel good, confident and... balanced. For instance, I know that I can save money by staying home on Friday nights, especially since my fiancé and I can always have a good time together, even if we’re doing something as mundane as laundry. But I enjoy spending time with my girls, venting and gossiping over appetizers and wine.

And, since I spend the majority of my day being a corporate drone, I like to keep my sanity and creativity alive by drawing and painting.

And while no one but me can probably tell I haven’t had a haircut in over six months, there’s something about starting a new season with a fresh look. It’s invigorating.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that I can’t live without these things. I need some shades of grey. But with in-betweens, it’s really easy to go overboard. So I guess that’s my next step: figure out how to fit these things in while still being able to move forward financially.

How do you balance your needs, wants and in-betweens? Share your ideas below.

This post was also featured on BlogHer.

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Denise Schipani is a mother of two. She’s the Mom Advice columnist for American Baby, and blogs at www.ConfessionsofaMeanMommy.com

So many money tips these days strike me as obvious. Brew your own coffee! Borrow books from the library! Shop the clearance racks!

Golly, y'think?

Like my grandmothers before me, frugality is in my genes. I tear Brillo pads in half—and napkins. I wash Ziploc bags. I'll show you my $7 jeans if you show me yours! But in these credit crazy times, when a $5 coffee is normal and you can spend $3 on a box of frozen, crustless PB&J sandwiches, the temptation to overspend—especially on food—can be overwhelming. Here's how I keep grocery costs in check for a family of four:

• Make a no-budge budget. I get in and out of the grocery store on about $100/week. That means knowing what we have, what we need and never buying extras just because they're on sale. Something else will be on sale next week.


• Buy only what you'll eat. A 2008 study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that Americans waste about 30 million tons of food each year. That's like throwing money in the garbage. I get a quarter of a pound of deli ham, exactly enough for three or four sandwiches for my sons on weekdays. It's PB&J—with crusts—after that.


• Forget brand loyalty. I’ll buy anyone’s bread, crackers, corn, jam, etc. (within reason)—as long as the price is right.


• Browse the just-past-sell-by rack. If you’re going to stir-fry peppers, who cares if they’re yesterday’s bruised ones?


• Convert the kids. Precious frugal mom moment? When your seven-year-old says, “Mom, if the Fruity Cheerios are on sale and you have a coupon, can you get some?”

Denise Schipani is a mother of two. She’s the Mom Advice columnist for American Baby, and blogs at www.ConfessionsofaMeanMommy.com

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Today is International Women's Day today—in case you forgot. It sounds like one of those faux holidays recognized only by the U.N. and feisty women's groups.

That's partly true, but there are a number of reasons to take note of the recent accolades—and ongoing challenges—facing women today.

• And the winner is... Kathryn Bigelow, as the first woman to be named Best Director at the Academy Awards last night (her film "Hurt Locker" also won Best Picture).
  
  You'll be hearing about Bigelow's triumph in testosterone-driven Hollywood for weeks. But as girls, let's just savor one delicious, vicarious thrill: Bigelow beat out James Cameron—her ex-husband.
  
  Hah.


• In the "two steps back" category, however... New studies document the financial hurdles facing working women with kids.
  
  Working moms earn nearly a third (31.9%) less than working fathers, according to "Decisions for Work," a study released today by researchers in London on behalf of the International Trade Union Federation.
  
  This on top of a similar study co-authored by Stanford sociologist Shelley Correll last year called, "Getting a Job: Is There a Motherhood Penalty?"—which found, why yes, moms are typically paid less than men with kids and less than women who have no kids.

You win some, you lose some—and you keep reading DailyWorth so that professional and financial parity is something we'll all celebrate when we're relaxing on our fat, well-invested nest eggs in a few years.

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Back in May 2009, when DailyWorth was just learning to crawl, we published a post called "Sell Your Friends"—inviting our readers to promote their friends to the DailyWorth community.

Good karma. Good business.

It was such a success, we want to do it again. Let's take a break from all this talk of inflation, mutual funds and taxes to support and promote the women in our lives.

Reflect on the women you're already supporting...

Appreciate one who is helping you...

Think about who around you—at work or at home—could use some financial guidance, a job lead, or an entrepreneurial boost...

Now let's take it public.

We'll start. Here are some banners of women and organizations who have really helped DailyWorth grow by promoting us on their blogs and in the media. Thanks, ladies.

 

Your Turn!
Tell us about a woman-owned business that you love, and why. Links encouraged.

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As the founder of DailyWorth, I have, perhaps, an abnormally obsessive determination to improve my financial standing. To me, that means growing my net worth.

On one front I've made significant progress:

Since resolving my Money Coma drama, I've made a serious shift in my life to build our "curveball account", i.e. savings to cover unexpected items like broken iPhones and split crowns.

This year alone, my husband and I have transferred a whopping $1,200 into that account, and I'm far less worried about money. Credit cards are no longer our back-up plan—our curveball account is. Thank you DailyWorth! (You're welcome.)

But lately I've realized that there's another barrier standing in the way of us taking our saving to the next level:

Our three-year-old son.

While I'm not blaming my child for my money problems, the truth is that my darling son knows how to push my financial buttons.

Here's how a typical conversation goes with my three-year-old:

Him: Mommy, I want a new yellow Power Ranger.
Me: You lost your yellow Power Ranger. Just because you lost it doesn't mean you have the right to buy a new one.
Him: Whyyyyyy?
Me: Because Power Rangers cost money. We don't have money for a new yellow Power Ranger.
Him: But Mommy. You go to work to make money so that we can go to Target and buy Power Rangers.

(Yes, dear readers, the explanation I gave him about why I work is coming back to bite me in the ass.) Now, at this point, all reason is lost:

Him: But I want a yellow Power Ranger. I NEED a yellow Power Ranger!!!!!!!!

Here's my confession. Rather than teach my three-year-old lessons in self-control—lessons in budgeting even—I often buy him things to quiet him, and calm myself.

From gummy candies at the supermarket to Power Rangers, I bet I spend about $30 a week to get him to just STOP THE WHINING. Is indulging him the best way to help him learn patience? No. Is spending a smart way to ease my frustration with him? No, it's a short-cut and not a cost-effective one, and I'm actively seeking a personal transformation.

Do you spend money to quell your anxiety (or prevent tantrums)—money that you could be saving? Leave your comment, insight or thoughts.

Read more...

You're not the only one with money on her mind. The International Museum of Women in San Francisco is now hosting an online exhibit called Economica. It sheds light on women's economic standing around the globe.

Here's a selection from the exhibit:

Women's Wealth In Nepal, a group called Tewa is tapping local donors and organizations to help fund women's groups across the country. (more) Credit: Copyright Hazel Thompson. Used with Permission.

Growing Debt In India, thousands of farmer suicides are leaving a generation of young widows with crushing debt and responsibilities. (more) Credit: Copyright Viviane Dalles. Used with Permission.

The Business of Women Arab women are changing the face of business leadership in the Middle East. (more) Credit: Courtesy of the Global Fund for Women. Used with Permission.

We encourage you to visit the Economica online exhibition of the International Museum of Women.

The women of DailyWorth contributed a piece called Declare Yourself Worthy to the exhibit.

Read more...

As you may have guessed from my debut post, I'm not the best at setting goals. In fact, it has been hard to live up to my goal of... setting some goals.

To me, setting any kind of goal was always a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they're motivating. Nothing gets me more excited than dreaming about my future house, with bay windows and a treehouse out back for my 2.5 kids. On the other hand, goals are intimidating, serving as a reminder of how far behind I am and how much farther I need to go.

At that point, my optimism gets swallowed by how overwhelmed I feel. So I bail.

But not this time. I'm going to be more realistic. Sure, I can still think big. But I have to think small too—and I've been trying. To avoid setting myself up for failure, I've realized that I must aim for goals within my means. I want to pay off my debts ASAP, but the reality is that while my fiance is still looking for work, I am paying all our bills—and can just cover the minimums on my cards and student loans (he doesn't have debt, thankfully).

The first step last month was to take a critical look at my financial situation, and write down all my expenses. Then I had to assess the whole picture, to see what goals are realistic for me right now.

To see Danielli's budget breakdown, read below.

Gross Income: $60,000
Monthly Take-Home Pay: $3,600

Regular Monthly Expenses (for me and my fiance):

• Rent: $1100
• Phones: $90
• Car Payment (mine): $336
• Insurance: $90
• Utilities: $150
• Credit Cards: $306
• Student Loans: $280
• Cable/Internet: $99
• Gym membership: $33

Total: $2,484

Variable Expenses:

• Groceries: $350
• Dog food and supplies: $125
• Gas: $40
• Prescriptions: $75

Total: $590
Upcoming Expenses: $200 (budgeted monthly and put into savings)

Total Spent per Month: $3,274
Remaining: $326!

The $326 was the good news I wasn't expecting. I'm not as broke as I thought!

Two months ago, I would have considered that $326 "free for all" money, and I would have spent it all on happy hour drinks, dinners out, weekend trips, clothes for my English Bulldog.

Those days are gone now. I'm a gal with goals (ahem).

I really want to get out of debt and save some money, so I'm going to put $100 extra toward my credit cards and $100 into savings each month. My goals seem pretty small and insignificant, but I have to start somewhere. And this, I think I can handle. I just have to keep reminding myself that these small moves add up. Even though I'm not making huge leaps, at least I'm still moving forward.

Thank you to my fellow DW readers for the comments and support you all offered on my last post. It was great hearing your personal stories, tips and advice. Let's continue to help and learn from each other. What are some of your goals? How do you plan on achieving them?

This post was also featured on BlogHer.

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DailyWorth recently had the pleasure and privilege of interviewing Gretchen Rubin, author of "The Happiness Project" the same week that her book hit The New York Times best-seller list.

Gretchen Rubin's new book, "The Happiness Project," chronicles the year she devoted to following the precepts revealed by the last two thousand years (or so) of happiness research and philosophy.  

Naturally, here at DW HQ, we wanted to know about the financial side: How can one spend more on a happier way of life?  

Rubin described a common pattern that can drain your wallet and derail your happiness: "When people wish they were different from who they really are," Rubin says, "they end up spending a lot of money on fantasies—and don't end up happier."  

For example: "You wish you were sporty—but you're not," Rubin says. "So you go out and buy the yoga mat, the workout gear, the roller blades—because you have this fantasy that buying the stuff will make you athletic--and it all ends up in your closet."  

It's a waste of money on two fronts, Rubin notes:

A) You frequently end up in possession of a lot of junk (language tapes, cookware, books     about Goya); and

B) you could have invested that cash in your own true life.

Rubin's motto, "Be Financially True to Thyself", struck a deep chord here at DW. Now confess: Have you spent money in hot pursuit of someone you wanted to be, but really aren't?

 

The Happiness Project

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She has a good income, heinous debt, she's planning her wedding and—oops!—her fiancé just quit his job. DW reader Danielli wants off the financial rollercoaster, but how? Here the first installment in her new blog for us.

My name is Danielli. I'm 29 years old, living in Florida--and on paper I look great.

I have a master's degree, a full-time job and an above average yearly salary (about $60,000). But underneath the "You go, girl!" exterior lies a bumbling financial idiot.

As I write this, I only have $30 in my savings account; I'm late on three of my monthly bills and I have over $60,000 in debt (yes, that would be the same as my yearly income).

I suppose it could be worse, but I'm having a hell of a time trying to make it better. I'm bipolar when it comes to money management--great one month, absolutely pathetic the next.

I want off the roller coaster.

I'm not looking to be a millionaire--I just want to have the financial freedom and stability to pursue my goals: Start my own business, have kids, have the ability to feed those kids something other than ramen noodles….

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