End of the year

Now the taxes are done and the new years of projects are ahead, I define the last year in financial terms. In other words, I see where the money went.

For years, I would get paid and spend what I made. At first I tried to be frugal and logical with a savings account, life insurance, and somewhat of a budget. Then the credit started flowing in and the ability to buy whatever the family wanted expanded into spending more than what was coming in. But it was credit and you only had to pay the minimum fee to continue to buy more stuff.

After some time, the credit cards were shredded and the budgets adhered to. At the end of the year it is still interesting to see where the money goes.

A couple of years of big expenses to the house, the budget is suddenly into a casual routine. There seems to be enough money in the bank to pay the bills and buy the food and even splurge every now and then.

Maybe everyone isn’t divided the same way in a pie chart, but this is mine, at least for now.