Saving, Spending and Sabotage!

Article Presented by:
Darlene Arechederra

I confess - I should've seen it coming. But, I didn't.

Late evening last week, I was at the halfway mark of my three-mile walk. I paused just long enough to glance up at my home, as my pet-friendly blinds were moving slightly.

Yep. There it was. A long, chocolate snout - plastered against the window. Following my every move as I tried to squeeze in an evening walk. He knew exactly when I spotted him, because he shifted his face until all I could see were huge, brown puppy-dog eyes. He gave me the full fledged, "Please, mom! Take me with you!" Huh.

Well, I'm no match for those eyes. Two minutes later, we hit the road, my five-year-old Labrador Ben (retractable leash included) and I. The walk was on!

But, after stopping at the sixth tree, I realized this was not going to be a heart-healthy walk for me. This was a *stop-at-every-third-tree-and-shrub* kind of walk.

So, I decided to have a leisurely stroll instead (the old turn-lemons-into-lemonade theory.) A simple attitude adjustment was all I needed.

And, to be honest, all was well once I acknowledged this as a *Ben* walk. That is, until we rounded the corner into our back yard. That's when it happened...

Ben spotted Mr. Rabbit, fresh from the neighbor's garden - and headed across the street to yet another crispy green haven.

This was too much for a rabbit-loving Ben. He strained against the leash, pulling and yelping in his bid for freedom. And seconds later, I held nothing but a dangling leash in my hand. Ben had dashed across the street to run the rabbit.

After I *retrieved* my Labrador, I checked the leash that had failed me so miserably. The clasp was contorted, stretched beyond recognition. Ben had bent it in his quest for his furry little friend.

I placed Ben safely back inside, then reflected on the past hour. Whether I wanted to admit it (or not), I had been sabotaged.

By me.

My goal had been to walk three miles at a pace that exercised my heart and built up my stamina.

Did it happen?

No.

Why not?

Because...

I knew not to look up at the window, yet I did it anyway. (Perhaps I need to put some blinders on myself.)

I knew I couldn't walk at a brisk, heart-healthy pace with Ben along. (No, stopping at trees does not count as exercise for me.)

I wanted to be a good mom to Ben. But this wasn't the time, nor the place.

Can you relate? It's just so easy to sabotage ourselves - regardless of our goals.

For example, what are some of the ways we might sabotage ourselves with our money?

We have a weakness for shopping, but we might go to the mall weekly (or even twice-weekly) anyway.

Because we enjoy eating out, we may keep ourselves busy all evening - doing everything *except* packing tomorrow's lunch. So, the next day, we order lunch out (again).

We may budget $60 for groceries each week. At checkout, it comes to over $100. (Using a small calculator to track the items as we toss them in the cart would fix this problem. We'd more than make up for the cost of the calculator in savings during our next trip to the store.)

How about you? Has Sabotage left you empty handed lately?

Over the next few weeks, why not see if Sabotage has left a trail in any areas of your life. Once you become aware of what's setting you back, it'll be so much easier to get back on track with your goals!


About the Author:
Darlene Arechederra shares money-saving tips and articles with those who want to live a debt-free lifestyle. For free easy ideas on saving money, visit her site today at: http://www.RatRaceRemedies.com