A Sign at the End of What Looks Like A Red Month

It's only Wednesday and I was already planning my weekend (a weekend that, for me, was going to start Thursday night, but be interrupted by work on Friday). I wanted to see my favorite band Thursday night at a club near my apartment and maybe gather some girlfriends for bar hopping on Friday. I figured the guy and I would go see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen this weekend despite the terrible reviews AND the fact that I didn't care much for the first one AND I think Michael Bay's hand on this franchise is the touch of death. I am going to a friend's house party Saturday night and started thinking of what new restaurant I could try for Sunday brunch.

Then, while riding the Metro this morning (no, I ain't scared) and reading the free Express newspaper, I happened to read the horoscopes, which I never read because they are useless. My eyes fell on Libra and this is what I saw:

"Overspending can be quite dangerous; you're going to need to watch over all your resources with care and vigilance at this time."

GULP.

I don't believe that this message was intended especially for me and all Librans everywhere, but sometimes when you need a reminder, a hint or a message, it comes to you in the strangest ways and places.

This was right on time, it seems. I started to do the math in my head and realized that, yes, I am pretty sure I'm going to finish this month in the red.

I have no excuses other than I didn't monitor how much I spent on eating out, I went over budget on clothes and otherwise wasn't paying close attention to the funds this month. I'll give you the run down in this month's report.

The thing is, sometimes I know that I am running close to the end of my funds (I realized this last week as a matter of fact), but I just wanted to DO. And to HAVE. And to run around throwing caution to the wind and sorting it all out later. I don't always put on the brakes when it's time to. And this little note was like a sentinel standing in front of my bank account with a huge frown and big crossed arms over his chest shaking his head "No."

So... I will finish my day. I will add my all my receipts and know PRECISELY where I stand this month and if I'm cutting too deep, this will turn into a relaxing weekend in the chill of my air conditioner, reading the pile of books I got from the library and otherwise taking it easy and giving the debit card a rest.

DH