My New Truths

I've been reading Suze Orman's book 9 Steps to Financial Freedom at the behest of my therapist. She seems to believe, and I agree with her, that anxiety about money is the root of my problems. At first, my brain seized up at the very idea. I cannot read about accounting. My head would literally fall off, roll to the floor and down the basement steps where my cat would snack on it for a week. But then I told myself to buck up and give it a try.

So, I borrowed a copy of the book from my Mom and began reading it this weekend. And you know what? It's very engaging. In the beginning, she provides anecdotes of people who freaked out over money and then she wanted the reader, me, to think about, well, me. So, anyone who wants to talk about me with me is automatically my very best new friend.

One of the pieces of advice is to start thinking positively about money. Instead of thinking, "I will never have enough money," or "I can't keep track of my spending," or "Crystal Meth sales are down so much, I'll never be able to pay off my debt to Archibald the Meth King," one should come up with new financial "truths" and obsess on them. Write it down 25 times a day. Repeat it as a mantra when walking the dog or changing diapers.

So, I've come up with a handful and thought I'd bounce them off you all:

1. I am able to support my family and the life that we want to live.


2. I will have the money to go to Bora Bora in French Polynesia and stay on a hut on the water...or to go to Disneyworld and stay at the Polynesian.


3. I will be able to persuade Doc, by hook or by duct tape, to build a spending plan based on the past two years of expenses/income.


4. I will be able to put 200 clams a month into a savings account.


5. I will not need to use credit cards ever again.

What are your truths?