The Beauty

Thursday has become one of my favorite days of the month, when my salary is deposited into my checking account. 

In the old days (less than a year ago), I used to begin thinking about what I "needed" to buy over the next two weeks, until my next pay day arrived. 

Now, the first thing I do is transfer a huge chunk to savings. Today that amount equals $1,000. My glee overfloweth.

The transformation from spender to saver did not occur immediately. I felt deprived, but focused, during the first seven months I made sacrifices to quickly eliminate my credit card debt. 

Like all creatures of habit, though, I have adjusted. Living way below my means is no longer quite the arduous task it once was. 

At the same time, the benefits are growing sweeter. I can now survive almost three months of unemployment. This is no idle accomplishment, given the uncertainty at my company.

The change is beautiful, at least to me. I have my first taste of financial peace, and I love it.