Easy Change

So, with the past week there was a big financial change -- a new puppy. So far it has already run over 1500 dollars and there are many more bills to come. To say that it was expensive is a huge understatement; to say that it was totally worth it, is completely true. For those interested in getting a dog, be aware of the expenses involved with the amount of vet bills and things of that nature. Even the preventative medicine is not cheap. On average, the expenses run about 30 dollars per month for a total of 360 dollars yearly, not even including the vet bill, accessories, food etc. In general, it makes sense to budget about 100 dollars monthly for the dog, and that is what I plan on doing. As for the enjoyment and exercise and zest for life that it brings, I don't know if there is a price you can really put on it. And that was something that I really didn't understand until this week.

One of the easiest ways I find that you can spend money is through recurring expenses. Although it is something that I am aware of, it is something that recently began to creep back up. When I first became really interested in personal finance a few years back, I really thought that there would be a bit of work to be done and that a simple magazine might help. I subscribed to Money magazine and probably got something like 16 issues for like 12 bucks, who knows? Even after factoring in the entertainment value, I have decided to not renew. Much of the content feels recycled and the choices that they are highlighting seem to really be geared to people in retirement or with kids which doesn't really fit my life at this point. Another subscription I've curbed is my World of Warcraft. I really enjoyed playing the game for a few months and also seeing all of the new content that had become available but the game has lost its appeal for me so I've quit. Perhaps I will go back, but ...

I've been a fan of Suze Orman for years. When I first started working after graduating college and then I started to make some money, my experience with other members of my family, mostly my grandparents, showed me that I needed to figure this money thing out. So, I set out to understand how money works and I found Suze. Many financial gurus are out there and for the most part, much of the advice overlaps, but Suze really seemed to be right along my line of thinking.  I bought the books, watched the show, and despite the fact that I feel like I've largely outgrown it so long as I follow the lessons, I really wanted to check up on how things were going. I went to the CNBC website and found an interview where she said this: "I do really live within my means. I have absolutely no debt. If I don't have the money to write a check, then I can't afford it. I never, ever, ever spend old money, so I'm only allowed by my own standards to buy something new with new mone...