Lately, I’ve been in a huge,  post-grad rut. There are so many things I wanted to accomplish IMMEDIATELY upon graduating from college (i.e. being a successful writer, getting my own studio apartment, making lots of money), and of course…none of that has happened. So all I’m left to do is sit and wonder why none of it is progressing at the speed of light.

The most frustrating part is: I GET IT. I know things take time. If I had a dime for how many times people have told me that, I’d already be a millionaire packing my floppy JCrew hat for the Hamptons. But my little 20-something heart has a hard time dealing with baby steps and time. Why doesn’t success hit as fast as a tequila shot? Anyway, I’ll get to my point.

I’ve been learning how to take baby steps (this should be a crash course in college). How do I do so, you ask? It’s pretty simple. For me, it starts with writing out a detailed financial plan and buying a huge calendar. I start making extra money by freelancing and working more hours (as a flight attendant), and work that income into my financial plan to spend in teeny trickles of time.

Embarrassingly enough, I still live at home with my parents. I’ve swallowed my pride already, so leave me alone. My future roommate (who also lives at home) and I have made a detailed list of things we need for the apartment-to-be to make it the cute, shabby chic dream we want. Every paycheck we make a special trip to the local antique shop (or Pottery Barn), and buy one thing off the list. Currently, we’ve purchased an adorable pile of vintage teacups, saucers, plates and bowls. We can’t WAIT for next paycheck. We are buying a tea bag holder and pots. It may seem like a completely minor action, but it gives us something to get excited about, and it saves money

Since living at home, I’ve been able to save enough money to purchase my own DESKTOP. Talk about being a grown a$$ adult, right? I’ve named her Stella, and she’s been a strong aid in helping me write with ease whenever I want. I kiss her goodnight, and I don’t care who knows. Also since living at home, I’ve been able to take some writing classes at a local literary center. I’m obsessed, and they make me feel all college-y. Again, it may seem like a minor action, but it makes me feel like I’m improving my writing skills and working towards my goals! It also keeps “you’re not an author yet” from sounding so shameful.

These simple steps have really made all the difference. If you’re feeling like you’re burrowed into a post-college rut, write down two strong goals and come up with a manageable way to accomplish them. Take the advice from your infant self. Baby steps!

Balancing a budget is the kind of thing that everyone hates, but we all know it’s necessary. Especially now. While the economy crumbles around us. And our money disappears.

Unless you are truly loaded and/or naturally meticulous, you could probably use a few tips to help you get your stash of cash in order. So read on:

1. Save your receipts.

That’s right… all of them. This might sound unnecessary, but it’s really important. If your bank statement comes and you find something on it that isn’t right, you’ll need those receipts to prove your point and get your money back. After your statement comes, you probably won’t need the receipts anymore, so you can get rid of them then.

2. Write stuff down in your checkbook.

Every time you make a purchase with a check or your debit card, write it down! That means you’ll have to keep your checkbook with you almost all the time, which can be annoying, but it’s worth it. (Not only does this protect you later, but it also forces you to pay attention to your spending!) Keep a separate list of your credit purchases. Write down the date of each expense and its exact amount. Then…

3. Go over your bank and credit statements.

As soon as you get those statements, bust out the checkbook and your credit list and compare each transaction, cent for cent. If there are any discrepancies, consult your pile of receipts (which you could neatly store in a box by date… but OK, that’s not entirely necessary). Talk to your bank or credit company about incorrect charges. Finally…

4. Balance.

Make sure the final amount on your statement is the same as the amount you’ve calculated that you have in your account. If there’s a difference of more than a few dollars, it means that either your math or something else is screwed up. You can find out what that something might be by re-doing the math and looking for the exact place in the list of transactions where the difference occurred.

Do all that and you have a balanced monthly budget, an understanding of where all that money is going and a place to start when attempting to cut some corners.

Easy as pie.

[Image courtesy of easyauctionrichesrevealed.com.]