Saving for ..... a rainy day?

Well tax day came and went this year like it does every year, and again this year I wrote a check to the IRS. A check which actually took the very last dollar of my savings account of which I had actually worked really hard over the last 9 months to save. After getting my taxes completed by a real accountant back in March -- i happily waited until April 17th to mail in the check. I am not sure why I was waiting - I guess knowing that I had saved some money these past few months made me feel kind of proud of myself, so I wanted it to be in my account until the very very last moment - which was 3:00 PM on Monday, April 17.

Last night I did not sleep very well and today I woke up with an amazing back ache. I worked all day and found myself constantly exclaiming outloud at my desk, "God my back hurts" - I am not sure who I was talking to, I guess anyone that would listen - What I really wanted to scream was - I just paid every last dollar I had saved to the frickin' IRS and I am not going to take this anymore...... (a flair for the dramatic I am sure since I really have no choice).

So tonight as I crawled into my door, I realized I needed to start over. I needed to do something about my inability to SAVE and I am going to start by organizing any old purse, my kitchen junk drawers, my glove compartment, and that huge bag of bill statements, bank ledgers, and opened mail that I have in the... uh humm hall closet.

Two and a half hours later I had the best ephipany I have had in months - what I realized is that I actually can SAVE. I am not a complete nimrod. I am worthy of being in the "people that save club". Being proud of my abilities I have made a list of all the things I discovered tonight that I can SAVE.

1. Plastic grocery bags not only from Alberson's, but Target, Ralphs and Vons.
2. Little plastic coated wire ties from my Heft Heavy Duty Garbage Bags.
3. Linens and Things 20% off coupons - too bad all 6 of them had expired (really could have used these at Xmas)
4. Three Old Kitchen sponges (i was planning on using them on those dirty jobs)
5. 4 old tooth brushes - (next to sponges and same reason as #4)
6. 3 YEARS of old birthday cards - all from the same 6 people (note to self - need more friends)
7. Every utility bill statement for the last 3 addresses I have lived in for every month. (sad)
8. Caps to pens - I had two pens but I had 7 caps
9. Wine corks (hey I like wine) (lots of corks)
10. Penny's. ( i found tons of them - not enough to open a frickin new savings account but hey it's a start at next year's taxes.

I could go on for hours on this since I know in my garage I have SAVED - 5 boas (yes the feather things) 7 Barbie dolls, 101 Beanie Babies, a pair of Neon pink and yellow DynaStar skis from 1992, and at least 5 more of those portable plastic bill holders which will have.... you guessed it, statments from all my utility companies, old birthday cards, coupons, pamphlets and any other correspondence from the appropriately labeled year on the outside.

I am not sure if people that can't save money find some pychological reason to save EVERYTHING else. It would be wiser for me to throw this crap out and just save some money. I know I have been this way my whole life. I am sure in my father's attic I have every single doll I ever owned.

Back then I did not have to worry about saving anything other than my dolls. Man have times changed.