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Inside: Crushed by money disappointments? Extra expenses. Setbacks. Medical bills, student loans and credit card debt that never go away. Try these 4 powerful ways to breakthrough money disappointments.
4 Ways to breakthrough money disappointment
I sat in my car, 14 minutes early, before my client arrived, and refreshed the bank app one more time. The automatic, sizable insurance payment hit my account today. Grayed out as pending. Scrolled through all my 37 savings accounts. What could I transfer, to avoid an overdraft.
Constantly stressed about the not enoughs and will the check come on time
A few taps and crisis averted. For now. Better write a note in my floral, hardcover planner to transfer money back to the emergency account when the check arrives.
How many times, I scribbled all my bills on a scrap piece of paper, torn out of a notebook or the back of an envelope. And went through my calendar, marked up with expected payments. Prayed there would be enough in the checking account when the bills deducted.
Added the numbers on the calculator on my phone. Then again. Because I lost track of the entries or the calculator ran out of room for more entries.
The heavy fog of disappointment and discouragement settles in for a long stay.
Causes you to buy a bunch of treat yourself makeup or clothes from Amazon on a whim. Everyone needs a reward, right? The thrill never lasts and the end of the month the budget’s demolished.
Related: Saving Money Like a Boss
Gratitude for a bill
6 months ago, a mentor challenged me to be grateful.
For the bill due today and the money in my account to pay for it. Today. For the funds to stock up on fruits, veggies, and milk this week. Or a car repair didn’t happen.
To draw my focus in close and be present. Focus how blessed I am, right here, right now.
Not to live my life in constant state of what if the check doesn’t come in time to pay the bills. Or will there be enough money.
Threw out a poverty mindset
Took a few weeks to retrain my immediate reaction.
To stop as I reached for an envelope to chicken scratch income vs bills and say out loud, “Thank you for the money to pay for the phone bill taken out of my account today and even some leftover funds.”
An iron grip of fear had squeezed my heart for 8+ years opened up and slipped off.
For months, I haven’t done any frantic scribbles, instead I’ve set up my prioritized budget once for the month. Checked a few times to ensure the household supplies and grocery purchases are within my predetermined amounts.
The practice of gratitude for each bill and the check arrived in time, opened my eyes to notice the sunlight as it danced on the yellow leaves of the tree outside my apartment window.
The blue and purple shades of the mountains in the distance. An unexpected break in between jobs to speed walk around the park on days I left by 7:30a, no time for my 1.5 mile sunrise jog.
Christmas came. For the first time bills all paid and my account had extra.
To give to friends in need, partner with others to buy groceries for an Angel Tree recipient and find a meaningful gift for every person in our extended family- rose bushes for my sister, a gallon of Elmer’s glue for my niece’s slime kit, a personalized Navy anchor ornament for my aunt to name a few.Related: Frugal Gifts for Everyone
Recognize your story is unique and there’s a purpose
When school took a long time to finish. Setbacks at every turn.
Cheap 3 day stay-cations here in AZ instead of the beach and paid for many repairs on our 15 year old vehicles. Lived in the same cheap apartment, above the pool, for a decade.
But because of the years spent in school on a tight budget. Debt free, with every extra dollar saved for the next tuition payment, on an irregular income.
I developed a platform and a passion to inspire others to have the courage to push through, past the break point of money struggles, because the future of their family depends on it.
Now I impact close to 15,000 people with my story. Counted on as a trusted guide to speak truth and encourage action to improve money skills.
You can’t control how life shows up
Car breaks down for the 8th time in 6 months. Thousands of dollars in student loans and credit cards. Money saved practically zilch. Health problems so you can’t work.
But because of everything you’ve had to deal with, you’ll be able to reach behind and lift up someone who’s slogged through the same trial and be proof of strength and hope.
They need you, press through with consistent actions. Come out on the other side. You need to, for yourself, your family, and for those who follow.
Purpose melts away discouragement as the sun rays melt away the fog.
Remind yourself how God has provided
Every single semester, we saved like crazy and $1,500 grant from the university, we paid tuition in cash. Once a glitch in the payment portal never even registered a payment due and we got a free semester.
Or let’s take my car. Like the night, when the coolant poured out in white steam billowed up and around my windshield, when on the freeway. Made it onto a main road before it died. In the left hand turn lane.
The one day I left my phone at home. Called my husband several times from Denny’s before he answered, doesn’t pick up for unknown calls, he thought the car blew a head gasket.
Which would seal the fate of my trusty Mazda with 312k miles to be sent to the pull and save graveyard.
The vehicle towed to the shop and checked out thoroughly, the head mechanic shook his head. Nothing wrong with my car besides a disconnected hose.
Too many moments to count. All ones where God provided.
Let go of the time frame
Any date set, 30th anniversary party for my parents, a girls trip to Colorado Springs, a move to a rental house with a garage, I run through all the tasks of what needs to be done and all the due dates to pull it off without a hitch.
A useful skill, all my friends took advantage of and requested me to be either in their wedding or to coordinate.
And then life laughs and throws curveballs.
A tax bill for a missed calculation. Increased health insurance rates. A refurbished dryer goes out. Setbacks with school.
The date will come and go. I’m back at square one or worse yet, scrambling catch up on my other bills. Stuff dreams of the next life chapter, down so deep. It’s better to not expect anything than to be disappointed, I attempted to tell myself. But my heart shattered.
Let go of the ‘when’. Nothing worthwhile or nothing that lasts happens overnight. My mentor Rachel Hollis shares. Keep at it and you’ll accomplish those dreams. Don’t you dare quit.
At first, I cemented dates to goals. A noose around my dreams squeezed tighter until there my eyes had lost their sparkle, a thin mask over the raw emotion threatened to break through with any concerned question about the current date projection.
Started to write every date in pencil. Easy to erase.
Replace my car, move to a house, a fully funded emergency fund. Still diligent to save each month but without a timeframe locked in. I bob up and down, like ducks in the canal, from life’s curveballs, as I wait God’s plan.
Content to acknowledge and celebrate 9 years of a debt free life. Paid cash for my husband’s education. A car repair fund of a $1,000. As I take small steps and wind towards the larger goals daily.
The fog lifted.
Now, it’s your turn. How do you breakthrough money disappointment? Tell me in the comments!
Hi! I’m Charissa. I’m on a mission to help hardworking women overcome money struggles and gain financial peace with a Biblical perspective so they can have the freedom to impact their families and communities. Ready to make some changes that will impact your finances in 2020? Click here to get a free worksheet to help you make it happen!
