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Thread: STOP spending!

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    Senior Member BebeBabiez's Avatar
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    Default STOP spending!

    Okay..
    does anyone else have this problem? Maybe because I'm semi new to the business, maybe because I'm young.. or a shopaholic! Who the HELL knows. I am obsessed with buying clothing and accessories. I swear, I can't walk into a store without buying something! Even if I spend a couple hundred I think in my head "It's okay, I'll may it back tomorrow night" How the hell do I get myself out of this mind frame and into saving mode! LOL

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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    how do you get yourself out of this mindframe ?
    don't waste money. you are like 95 percent of the population, CONSUMERS !!

    dont think that you'll make it back tomorrow because there will only be so many tommorrows, and before you know it you will be out of the business and you have the same amount of money as when you started, if not less.

    Dancing can allow you to make a great future for yourself by investing your dancing money in real estate, stock, or your own business. or all three !! Don't keep buying junk, it will get you nowhere in life. I often see young people around that have nice cars, nice chlothes ect., but not a damn thing in there asset colunm.

    They waste all their money trying to portray the look of how they feel a wealthy individual should look, when in reality they are BROKE.

    STOP THINKING ONE DAY AT A TIME ! One must understand that in you want to be financially free in the future , you must prepare for the future now. Stop saying "i'll start saving tomorrow" Start today. I am a big fan of saving 30% of mine and my girlfriends income. This has helped us out tremendously. we have an account that we put 30 % of our income religiously. This money gets invested in stocks, our businesses, ect. We also have an account we put 150 a week into for vacations (this allows for 2 a year)

    this system works great, as soon as you come home with your nights pay take out 30% and deposit it the next day. Let me tell you money builds VERY fast this way. Don't use this money for anything for any reason except investing for your future.

    Done right, you can dance for 10 years and never work a day in your life again.

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    God/dess Emily's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    I think Ryan's advice is great, but I think it really takes some kind of inspiration to go from spending (instant gratification) to saving (delayed gratification). If I were you, I'd look at the things you want in life. Look at why you shop. Shopping *feels* good. Shopping is like therapy. You worked hard for that money, and by golly, you *deserve* to enjoy it. Yes, true, but you can do so in moderation.

    Saving takes real discipline. it takes a really clear vision about what you're saving for and why. I'm not just talking about saving a percentage. I'm talking about saving whatever you don't need for bills and a few small splurges. This job is so unlike other jobs. It's hard to save because all our pay is in cash. It's also even more important to save and have an exit plan because our glass ceiling is so low. Where most people are planning to retire at 55 or 60, we have to move on much sooner. The money is great and short-lived. You know this and retirement planning is so not as glamourous as a new Louis Vuitton handbag, but neither is seeing a dancer who has worked for many years and has nothing to show for it. How many girls do you know that used to be dancers are making more now than when they were dancers?

    Something will have to inspire you. Whether it's a book (Rich Dad, Poor Dad is really good! That guy is a genius!) or it looking at some 30-something dancer that is still dancing and has nothing saved up to show for it.




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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!


    I am probably the cheapest person I know. I mean, I'm really cheap. But I'm getting better, I do actually spend money now.

    I've been on my own since I was 14, and I was very motivated to save money as a teenager. I had $20k in investments before I was 19. I took it to an unhealthy level though - I gave myself like thirty dollars a week for food and refused to spend money on anything and just saved it all.

    Then when I decided to start spending money it was like, wow, I can buy things! And I couldn't stop! What works for me is to have very specific goals. I have envelopes in my house that are savings for fencing in my back yard, re modelling my house, and investing. I keep a journal of my successes (financial and otherwise) so every day I'll write down my goal for work. Then if it's slow at work I'll grab my journal and write "I've made X, I need to make X more to reach my goal, I'm so looking forward to having my back yard fenced in... okay, going back out there to make at least X more dollars." Then after work go home and stuff envelopes. Thirty percent goes in investments, thirty percent gets split between short term saving (fence, remodelling, etc), and thirty percent goes to pay bills and go shopping. Then write in your journal how much closer you are to your goal. The journal really helps keep you focused.

    Another thing that helps is to celebrate every time you reach a certain point, like every thousand dollars into investments, I go shopping and to dinner and a movie with a freind.

    Lena



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    Veteran Member SexyBooty's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    Girl be careful with them envelopes, i hope you keep them in safe place.but the idea is great , wow you had to satisfy a lot..About bebe babiez heyyyy think about the future, you cant be young forever.Just be careful i know what means to be a shopoholic...Ouch
    Most people would rather be certain they're miserable, than risk being happy.

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    God/dess Bridgette's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    What gets me motivated is to set a specific goal to save every week, based on how much I average in a week and how much I need for living expenses and the occasional (small!) splurge. My weekly savings goal is part of a larger savings goal I want to hit every month, and finally, what I want to hit by the end of 2005 (my planned retirement date). I have a something specific I want to do with my money after retirement, so I have a real motivation to drag myself in to work every night even if I'd rather stay home.

    As for not spending the money, I had to learn to simply not go to the mall or any stores I like, and to make lists when I'm going shopping for things I need, and STICK to the lists. Also, I never carry my credit card with me unless I'm travelling or something, and I only take whatever cash I NEED, with no extra (except maybe $10 in case I forget something or miscalculate what something would cost). I NEVER go running around with anything close to my night's earnings in my pocket, because I would find something to blow it on. When I get home from work I count my money, see how much closer I am to reaching my goals, pay any bills that are due, put aside a few dollars for the next day's necessary expenses, and stash the rest in my savings jars.

    Finally, to keep track of my money and spending, I use Microsoft Money (came with my Windows software) to track every dollar I spend. When you start keeping track of what you're spending where, it gets really easy to see where you're wasting so you become much more aware of whether you really NEED that new pair of shoes you're eyeing.

    Saving takes discipline. You have to set goals for yourself, because otherwise you have nothing specific to save for, and therefore no reason to make yourself do it. So, figure out what you'd like to do in X number of years, how much you think you'll need to do it, and you'll have a new motivation to work and save. That's the easy part. Sticking with it is the really hard part, so you'll have to devise ways like some of us have to keep ourselves in check. I've also known girls who had a certain amount they would save every week/month, and wired it to their parents to put into an account for them. You can also set up a checking account at a bank that automatically transfers a certain amount to savings every week/month, so you can treat it like a bill you have to pay, make sure you've got that money in your checking by the deadline, and make sure you don't touch the savings.

    Quote Originally Posted by pheno View Post
    When you lead a nontraditional life don't try to measure it with traditional milestones.

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    Veteran Member anklefrog's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    I am pretty cheap when it comes to me. All of my dancing $ goes right into my checking acct and the only time I write a check or use my ATM is for bills. Half the time I don't even know where my check card is! Ryan, I love your $150/week for vacations plan. That's about the only time when I'm not stingy with myself. I went on vaca 2 weeks ago and I'm going in 3 weeks on another well deserved vacation. I'm not much of a shopper except the things I need around the house. I'm like Bridgette when I go to Target or the grocery store. I make a list and bring like $50 with me. I don't buy things I don't need. I'd rather have money in my checking account in case of an emergency rather than new shoes or clothes. For me it helps to think about "what would I do if _________ happend and I had to have $____. I have 2 dogs, what if one was hit by car and needed emergency surgery? What if my Mom who lives in Europe was in the hospital and I had to buy a $1500+ plane ticket? What if I break a leg and can't dance for 2 months?
    Try to think of this when you feel like shopping. I'm not trying to be neagtive, but unfortuantely life happens and it tends to be expensive!
    It's better to be looked over, than overlooked.

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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    The thing that helped me the most was an experience earlier in life (before I ever thought of dancing) where I was out of work after having a new baby, and my worthless guitarist husband who would continue to spend thousands on guitars and amplifiers but wouldn't give me enough money to buy baby food or pay the phone bill. Of course I was young and stupid to allow this situation to develop in the first place. The root of that problem of course was A. being out of work, and B. not having previously saved any money while I was working.

    I agree that the secret to money management, spending control, or success in general is to take a longer term view of every decision you make. The first principle has to be acknowledging the fact that you could be out of work tomorrow, and that you may remain out of work for a couple of months. For dancers, this could happen at any time as the result of a broken bone or other accident, a club bust and closing etc. Even if you don't wind up totally out of work, it's also possible that your 'earning power' could wind up being severely reduced as a result of a new anti-dance club ordinance, layoffs or closing of a major business in your area, an invasion of travelling dancers offering extras etc. Either way a situation could be created tomorrow where your assumption that "I can earn it back tomorrow" is no longer true. If you've read another thread on this BBS about being saddled with major debts you'll see that the mistaken assumption of "I can earn it back tomorrow" was also the root cause of that situation.

    A great first step is figuring out exactly how much money it costs you to live every month, i.e. the total of all of your existing monthly bills plus food, transportation etc. - for example say it's $ 2000. Next, guesstimate what your tax bracket is - say it's 20% federal plus 5% state tax or 25%. Therefore you need to earn the first $2500 every month in order to cover your monthly bills and living expenses.

    Next, you need some money in the bank to cover your butt in case something bad happens and you can't work. The financial planners will tell you that you should have as a bare minimum enough money in the bank to cover three months worth of living expenses. Following the same example this would be $6,000. If you give yourself a year to build this up, $6,000/12=$500 after taxes or $700 before taxes. Combining the $2500 in minimum living expenses and $700 for an emergency fund means the first $3200 you earn every month is spoken for.

    On a monthly basis, if for example you usually dance five nights a week and you typically walk out of the club with an average of $300 after stage fees and tipouts are paid, the entire first two weeks earnings and the first day's earnings of the third week are totally spoken for just to cover the cost of necessities. If you develop this sort of thinking pattern, you won't even go near a fancy store until the 20th day of the month, after all of your bills are paid, after you've put $500 in the bank, and after you've set aside $800 for estimated taxes.

  9. #9
    Pamela
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    Yes! when i was a newbie i spent my share on stuff i did not need. It's the newness. Don't make it a habit.
    Better yet, the key is to have self control. Treat your self once a week to somethig nice...But needed! You know you are getting, a present! But only at the end of a work week.
    Practice this habit, and the old one should go away. Becoming a shop-aholic is no funny matter. Stop the cycle while it's still fairly new to you. It's alot easier to stop needless spending early on instead of years later, when you are broke, and in therapy.
    Pamela

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    Veteran Member anais's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    I am a shopaholic too. Like Emily said, it can be theraputic, but it is not good. After Christmas, I had about $40 of Barnes and Noble gift certificates. I went in to spend them and after picking out a couple of books I had been wanting, decided I'd get a few CDs. Then saw some magazines. Then got a basket. And headed to the audio books, then the cook books, the sexuality section of course. And having an interest in psychology, I ended up in the self help section (with about $300 worth of merchandise in my basket.) I saw a book called "I shop, therefore I am". It was about shopaholics. I looked through it and realized that was me. I put back EVERYTHING except for my gift certificate amount (including that book). It felt kind of funny actually.

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    Featured Member tragic-beauty's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    after every night i work i put away..20- 40 for food.. 10 for me and 20 for gas.. the rest goes in my safe

    doing that i can save over 1k per month

    sometimes more.. depending on how well the month was

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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    One book I can highly recommend is called:

    "Your Money or Your Life" by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin.

    It takes it to a very base level, breaking it down to "The only thing you have in your life is time, and you give up your time in exchange for money". Then it has you look at what you are spending your money (time) on and asking if it is really worth it (given that you can never get your time back).

    Then the book has you figure out what you've made in your life from your very first B-Day money until today (every single cent), and then asks you how much tangible stuff you have to show for it. This part hurts, but it is one of the best wake-up calls you could ever get...believe me...you'll be shocked, but also spurred to action.

    The book also has you break down what you really make hourly (which is kind of a misnomer in this business), but it has you take into account things you spend money on that are strictly for your JOB (and help you keep your JOB)....in this case, make-up, shoes, outfits, travel, food that you don't consume at home, gas to-and-fro, etc., etc....then it has you back that out of your Perceived hourly wage to find out what you are really making hourly. Say, for instance, you do a quick math check and come to the conclusion that on average you work a 6 hour shift and you walk out the door with $300. You conclude that you are making $50.00/hr....But, after figuring in all of the other things that I mentioned (and it shows you step-by-step how to do it and what to include), you come to the realization that you are really only making $25.00/hr.

    After that it does a boomerang on you uses the information you have calculated to get you to see how you are spending your life (literally).

    It gets you to ask yourself in every situation, "Is what I'm about to spend my money on really worth the time I spent to get the money in the first place?" "Will I really get out of this thing that I'm buying, the perceived ego-stroking, jealousy from my friends, fame, envy, significance, etc. that I have projected onto this item and that I think buying it will give me?" (i.e.: Buying a Porsche because you think people will think you are cool/cute/sexy/rich/(insert your word for acceptance here)). Now, apply that to just about every single purchase you make, except for food and gas).

    Say, for example, you do all of the calculations and come to the conclusion that you really make $20/hr. (just for simplicities sake). You're looking at a new TV for $500. You'll ask yourself, "Is this TV really worth the 25 hours I worked to get the money?" Let me put it another way, as I'm familiar with the social habits of alot of the girls in this industry...."Is going out tonight and spending $100 on drinks in 1 hour, worth the 4 hours I exchanged to make the $100 in the first place?"

    It definitely changes your mindset. It doesn't mean you have to be a total tightwad, but you will definitely make more informed decisions about what you spend your money on because you will be cognizant of it all the time.

    The authors are a little more cautious about investing so I would also recommend some of the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad books", et. al. to give you a well balanced assortment of thoughts/principles from which to draw.

    One other educational tool, with regards to money, that I Highly Recommend is a board game called "Cash Flow 101". It was designed by Robert Kiyosaki (yes, the author of the Rich Dad/Poor Dad books). It teaches you things about money that you never learned in school or from your parents. It is set up similar to Monopoly. There are two circles that go around the board...the inner circle is called "The Rat Race", and the outer circle is called "The Fast Track". The object of the game is to get out of the "Rat Race" where you are spending the way you currently spend and you are always working for money, and get onto the "Fast Track" where the money you have invested wisely works for you. You keep track of your finances on a simplified balance sheet (don't worry, you'll feel totally at ease with this the way it is simply explained), and you learn the basics of Cash Flow, buying/selling real estate, buying/selling businesses, business start-up costs, buying/selling stocks, etc. What the game does is show you how you think about, and spend, your money. Some people get out of the Rat Race in less than an hour and some people take alot longer...depending on how long it takes them to re-think how they spend their money. It is a very clever game and although the subjects of money and investing scare alot of people, it is a fun way to raise your financial I.Q. quickly, and safely. It isn't cheap...I think you can find the board game on eBay for $100+, and on www.richdad.com for a little more...but believe me, it is well worth it. If the price is a little high for you, get some of your friends who are in the same financial situation and have them go in on it with you. You'll all learn alot and they will thank you for including them....Trust me...it's a real eye-opener.

    Hope this helps some of you out there that are looking for a launching pad toward more financial security.

    I know they helped me.

    If I can leave you with one lasting quote which I read a while ago that has been etched into my brain, it is this:

    "Time is like a precious coin....You can spend it any way you want....but you can only spend it once".

    VDJ
    "A lot of girls go out with me just to further their careers - damn Anthropologists" - Emo Philips

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    Newbie Gabriela's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    Girl you've definitely got to have Rich Dad, Poor Dad. it's the most serious eye-opener I've ever had.
    It's important to remeber there are ASSETS and there are LIABLITIES . Assets make you money, liabilities drain your money. Stocks, businesses, and real estate are assets. You'll be needing those in the near future. Clothing and cars are LIABILITIES . they LOSE VALUE the longer you have them. When you feel that impulse to buy, think about how in a few months (maybe less) you're clothing and trinkets are going to cast to the side or destroyed. What have you gained? Nothing. What have you wasted? An opportunity.

    On the other hand, If you were to save up, buy a house , and let you tenants pay your rent and put extra money in your pocket while you build equity, you would feel on top of the world. Plus you'd get to drive past and say, "that's my house right there!"

    Let your money go to work for you, sweet heart!

    Finally, think of that waitress who used to make $700 on a bad night for 15 years. Now she has to get used to struggling on what little she makes, plus her ggos looks have deteriorated from liqour and cigarette smoke (we all know how some patrons can be-smoking like chimneys!), and she's left with nothing but memories and regrets. I don't know about you, but that could never be me!

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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    i thought i was the only one who knew about rich dad poor dad and cash flow 101! Those are awesome!

    i've never had a lot of problems with savings until lately. the key is to just take money out for bills, and basic day to day necesities, and save the rest. small splurges help to keep you from feeling like you are being deprived, but i find that i feel really good inside knowing i have an account thats growing towards an investment of some sort, or hell! a rainy day that might come without any warning (i've had plenty of those). get rich dad poor dad it really does help. good luck!

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    Featured Member thechaosfairy's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    I'm a shopping freak, and I've found the best way to mediate my problems is to do online shopping in the evenings before I go to bed.

    I get so I almost decide on something . . . and have a rule where I won't buy it until the next day, as it'll still be there.

    Occasionally I wake up still wanting it; usually I don't . . . and I've done the shopping part, so I feel good about it. I still overspend a little when I go out, but I try to change that by going to a diner or cafe when I'm bored, instead of a store, and only going to a store when I NEED something.

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    Featured Member paintgoddess's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/...ey/P107710.asp

    This might change your mind about your spending. Worth a read, IMO.
    Quote Originally Posted by Lysondra View Post
    Strippers are like ninjas. You never know how many there are or if the person next to you is one.
    Quote Originally Posted by Emily View Post
    ...I assume you probably don't want to deal with pervs, and the guys that just don't give a fuck about money are like unicorns...
    Quote Originally Posted by Sinder View Post
    I know I have said it before, and I'll say it again.... THE VAGINA IS NOT A CLOWN CAR!


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    Senior Member quequisiera's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    "If it's on you ass it's not an asset." I do not remember who said this but I always try to remember it when I pass by somethingin the mall that I really like. Right now because I just started working again I really cannot afford to by anything. For me if I go tothe really expensive mall I know I will not buy anything. Because I am too cheap. But if I go to the outlet mall I will spend to much. Everytime I go to work all the other girls in the dressing room are dressed better then me. Most of my wardrobe right now is from salvation army after Katrina.


  18. #18
    God/dess Deogol's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    ^^^ Good. I know a couple of women who are kicking themselves in the ass today for the stupid things they did with their money back then.

    They (dancers) had all the money in the world... until they hit 30 or so. Then either because of drooping parts or burnout they just couldn't do it anymore and are the working poor today and have NO idea about what is going to happen to them at 40.

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    Banned Melonie's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    They (dancers) had all the money in the world... until they hit 30 or so. Then either because of drooping parts or burnout they just couldn't do it anymore and are the working poor today and have NO idea about what is going to happen to them at 40.
    Actually, it goes deeper than young girls simply having more dancing money than they know what to do with. There's also a big element of assumption that the club business will stay the way it is forever. Or put another way it is the assumption that the girl can earn the same amount of money tomorrow night, or next month, or next year that she did tonight.

    ... which was very prevalent in the 90's until the dot.com bust changed the exotic dancing business almost overnight ... which has been prevalent over the last several years until the passage of a new anti-dance club ordinance completely changes the local clubs' business model ... which as been prevalent for decades in cities where blue collar union workers provided a steady stream of customers until massive layoffs by the city's major employer sends the whole city into a financial panic !

    The point is that the exotic dancing business in any particular city is at the mercy of a number of political and economic factors which are beyond the clubowners' or dancers' control. Thus dancers can now quickly find themselves in a situation where their earnings potential has been cut in half seemingly overnight ... or find that they must now provide 'extra' entertainment to customers to keep their earnings potential at the same level ... or find that their club is being busted / zoned out of existance / audited by the IRS.

    As such, dancers should be operating with a realistic mindset that tonight's earnings are a 'windfall profit' which may never happen again. Dancers should be operating on a budget / living a lifestyle which makes the assumption that they can only count on earning half as much money in the future as they do today. If they DO earn lots of money next week, the 'windfall profit' should be saved and/or invested. And when the day comes that a new ordinance / massive layoffs / a IRS investigation affects their club, such that their earnings really are cut in half, their budget / lifestyle will be able to continue on half as much money without repossessions, foreclosures and bankruptcy.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Now if only we could get the government to stop spending so much of our money for us (taxes) !!!

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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    When I first started dancing, I did the same thing. I ended up working all the time so that I wouldn't have time to spend money, and then I would pay my bills in advance, instead of spending it on clothes and stuff. No time or money= no shopping!

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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    What's helped me a lot is to carry a spiral notebook with me everywhere I go and write down to the penny what I spend, why and how (eg: 'Dunkin Donuts, coffee, $2.08, cash)

    Then I enter it into an excel spreadsheet at the end of the day. I have three 'accounts' my 9-5 job, my dancing job and my 'spare change' account (which I keep in a jar and roll up and occasionally make a bank deposit of $20 in quarters).

    This system is doubly useful because I can A) track exactly what I'm spending my money on (my big drain is going out to eat), and also B) what I spend my cash on. The IRS does not need to know about me spending a few hundred a year in coffee or Greek salads, but they will certainly be able to track me paying off my credit cards with cash. I know how much I can 'fudge' my dancing income if I know exactly where everything went.

    My excel spreadsheet is pretty simple, I can email it to you if you want. It's basically side by side columns of:

    Date/Where was the transaction/What was it for/How much/Where did the $$ come from?/Any notes on the transaction (eg, deposit, lunch out with my girlfriends, the cashier undercharged me for my coffee, etc)

    At the end of the month, I break everything out into different sheets, one for things that came out of my checking account, one for things I paid for with cash, and print everything out.

    I love excel because I can manipulate all the data however I want (sort by date, amount, where I spent it, how I spent it, etc).

    Suze Orman has made me a money tracking fiend.

  22. #22
    God/dess VegasPrincess's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    Here's something that might inspire you: I've recently taken a break from dancing....but....from age 21-24 I made AT LEAST 2k a week.... granted, I probably only worked 35 weeks a year......but thats still 280K that I made (in 4 years) and I have nothing to show for it except a shit ton of expensive clothes (that are size 0 and I cabt even wear right now) shoes bags and a semi decent car. That and some memories

    So... dont be like me. When I do start dancing again (Summer) I will be a lot different.

    I think not making that kind of cash and not having it to spend has helped me realize I dont need to be like that also.
    Sexy Jasmine after getting fucked over at work:

    God loves strippers and when guys do things like that its an automatic ticket to HELL!


    Quote Originally Posted by anomar View Post
    Perhaps you stopped spending money on her. Strippers need money to operate. They are like coin operated juke-boxes of love.

  23. #23
    AudreyLeigh
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    What stopped me from shopping was being 26 years old with nothing to show for all my hard work cept some (now) outdated clothes. I look back and am like for fucks sake- I could have paid off a house cash with all ive blown... and i dont even own my car outright. Pathetic.

    Like Vegas Princess I havent danced for 8 months. Am going back in 2 weeks and have a plan this time. Just wish I was smarter when I started.

    Whoa this thread is almost 5 years old. Oldie but goodie...
    Last edited by AudreyLeigh; 03-03-2008 at 03:23 PM.

  24. #24
    God/dess SundayMorning's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    We're working on not spending our money right now. The Hubby starts every week with $20 in pocket and that's what he spends throughout the week on Starbucks, fast food, etc. I mentioned that I made my Motivation Boxes and I can only spend what's physically in each box. We're basically pretending that our bank account doesn't exist except when I'm going grocery shopping, etc. In just three weeks, we have saved so much money with so little effort that I don't foresee us having a bank scare like we did in January ever again.

    Just hold yourself accountable. Once you see what it's like at the bottom, you realize you don't ever want to be there again and you can accept nice things as a reward, not a right.


  25. #25
    God/dess Zofia's Avatar
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    Default Re: STOP spending!

    When I started dancing, a football player for the Indianpolis Colts was one of my first regulars. He was sweet, and oh so sexy. But, the best thing about him was he knew this old football player named Roger Staubach, and got me invited to hear the guy talk about football, and life. The take away from that talk was this, your talent (age and beauty) is short lived. Take as much of what you make to the bank as you can while you are making it. Live well within your means. Then, when your playing (dancing in my case) days are over, take the money you have put aside and get into a business that will make you money.

    XOXO
    Z

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