David,
Something I have done for years is whenever I take money out of the ATM I automatically take 10% and set it aside. I place this money in a separate spot in my wallet and when I get home I place it in an envelope so that I don’t spend it. I travel on my position and I normally take out $200 each week for misc. expenses which I can not put on the corporate charge card. I know $20 dollars a week does not sound like much, but over a years time this is $1040 dollars. I also take any money receive for birthdays and holidays and add it to this rainy day savings. I took me two years to save enough to take my wife on a Panama Canal Cruise last year. This year I was able to save enough to purchase weekend season tickets with my neighbor to the Chicago White Sox. Because the money was saved over time it was very painless and I friends who wonder how I can afford to do what I do.
I have to admit that this habit of saving 10% of my money goes back to my Grandmother teaching how much I can save by saving in little increment.
I would like to thank you for confirming what my Grandmother taught me. She also taught me that the best credit card was green and could be folded. She always told me that if you can’t pay for it you don’t need it.
Best Regards,
