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I BLOW THROUGH MONEY!!!! i want to save, budget, and be more responsible w/money! i go through 2 grand week!?

hello, i have a business, i make good money, but im having problems with things like bouncing my business account as i have problems being organized, balancing a checkbook/debit card etc. i have problems taking business income and holding onto it, i cant save money, i spend it dining out, on my girlfriend, on partying. heres a summary of my disorganized insanity ie. the last few months.. i had 1500.00 yes, fifteen hundred dollars in parking tickets, speeding tickets that i paid off etc. i have paid lawyers for beating up a guy that threatened me, i plead to a disorderly conduct/cash fines total cost 1000.00. i also have made bad decisions and accepted a check from guy for business, he said something smart too me, i threatened him and he stopped payment on an 800.00 check. i am being sued by the first guy for medical injuries that hes faking, but nonetheless i have this on my plate, insane! I am out of control and cant seem to get things under control! i have been arrested for the assault, i have paid out thousands in lawyer fees, parking tickets, speeding tickets with more tickets to go. i have constant bank account problems, my account bounces as im having a horrible time organizing everything! i miss doctors appointments, i once had 3 months worth of mail in my p.o. box and was contacted by the post office and told if i didnt get my mail out they were yanking my privileges. i literally drive around all day with 7 cell phones for my business with 8 debit cards and pay bills as im driving, juggling phones, sleeping until 2pm ea day. i work 18hrs a day, get too be at 7am and back up at 1 or 2pm, my lifes out of control! im told im the best salesman in our area, in our industry, but my finanical life, personal life is a wreck! my health, stress, anxiety, chest pains are out of control! i always wake up with 50 plus missed calls, 120 emails per day, the bank blowing my phone up, workers drivin me nuts, then i miss appointments, doctors, it never ends! im juggling my life on the phone, behind the wheel, i have legal, financial, and personal problems and dont know what the hell to do anymore! i make a lot of doe and my business kicks ass but im going in a coffin at the rate im going! how do i get my finances, banking, checkbook, business structure, personal life structured and under control! where do i begin? i blow through money, i party like a nut, i work my ass off, hell, one day i walked out to see my new lexus being hooked by the repo man and watched them tow it away!!! AND i had 2000.00 bucks in my pocket! i checked my mail, my voice mails, and found out that i hadnt made a car payment in 3 months!!! and i had the money! i got the car back, but man im a mess!! what do i do! can anyone relate?

Public Comments

1. Hey there, I know where your coming from. I dont earn as much money as you and am not as disorganized as you but I am certainly on the way to it! Its good that you are starting to realize that you have a problem. I would say that your best bet would be to contact a freelance personal assistant or organizer. you will pay them. find one and check them out, their background ect make sure that they have a good history. then you will have to be completely honest with them and tell them everything. they can then sort out things. pay bills, book appointments, manage your counts and meetings ect. you could have them from as little as 4 hours a week to full time. why dont you try one for a week solid then go to having her 1 day a week I think for the money it will cost you you will never look back. let me know how it goes. MC
2. hiring a personal secretary sounds like what you really need.. someone who can answer the phone , pay your bills, keep your checking account in order, make appointments and remind you where you need 2 be each day.. etc.. relax she can make it all happen and it will take a lot of stress off of you : )
3. wow. You need to first stop, take a deep breath and regroup. Get a list of everyone you owe. Sit down and figure out just how much you need to live on, like spending money, rent, food, utilities and other monthly bills. If you are putting out so much money for lawyers because of an anger problem, I suggest taking an anger management course to both find out why you get so mad & learn how to change. You'll be helping yourself save thousands of dollars in attorney fees by doing this. By saving this expense you will have more money to pay towards your debt. If you own a home see if you have any equity in it. If you can get a home equity line of credit and consolidate all the bills then you will have only one payment to make which will be much easier to remember. As far as the bank goes, I would apply for either overdraft protection, or maybe a line of credit on the business to cover the fees you keep getting. Get someone to help you keep track of your bank account and how much money is available. Keep a check register even if you only use a debit card. If you are too busy to remember to pay a car payment, then set up bill pay with your bank so they can get paid automatically every month. Keep enough $$ in the account to pay this. There is no reason to keep having tickets. You have to get that under control before they take your license and you won't be able to drive. If you are reckless in driving have someone else drive who is responsible. From what you describe, you aren't getting enough sleep. You have to take care of yourself, no one else will. If you colapse your whole business will fall apart. Forgetting business and Dr. appointments is not good. It is not good business to break an appointment as your reputation suffers. If you have too many appointments and no time to keep them, then you are TOO busy. Start learning to say NO. Most likely some of the calls, emails, and appointments are not as important as others so decide which ones to answer and forget the rest. Don't over schedule your life or your business. I'm sure you are a great salesman but what are you telling others by being so disorganized? Maybe see a counselor to find out why you drive yourself so hard. You are neglecting your health and your well being. Again proritize. Only do the most important things first and do the rest as you can or you'll drive yourself crazy. I wish you all the best.
4. Gosh Lance, in no particular order: 1. I wish that you had broken that down into paragraphs. 2. "I resemble that remark." 3. "I feel your pain." 4. In all seriousness it sounds like you're headed for a heart-attack or a stroke. I don't think that my life was ever as complicated or out-of-control as what you described. I'm a firm believer in "simplify your life." I've been debt-free for many years, not because I make a lot of money (I'll gross $80K this year), but simply because I've always scrupulously avoided debt. I drive a '97 chevy lumina with 170K miles on it. I've had to learn how to tell my two sons, ages 19 & 22, "no." All of my monthly bills are set up to pay on-line automatically. As long as there is money in my checking-account and my VISA isn't maxed-out--which it never is since I pay if off monthly--my bills get paid. Lance, I want to help you: I'll take your girlfriend off your hands for a few months. --kidding, guy, kidding; I've got a wonderful gf whom I love. No but seriously as someone above suggested you need some kind of personal assistant with good book-keeping and organizational skills. After work today go walk 4 or 5 miles, then soak in a hot tub while sipping a glass of cabernet, then get a good night's sleep. When you wake up tomorrow proceed to "simplify your life." Easier said than done, I know. It won't happen overnight. The very best of luck to you.