Your Future Self

Helping out your future self. I've read a number of articles over at The Simple Dollar about controlling your spending so that your future self doesn't have to pay the bill. That wasn't really sinking in because I was already on a very aggressive debt repayment plan and not continuing to dig the debt hole any deeper.  Honestly I just wasn't getting it.  

Then this morning as I was getting ready for work this idea of 'helping' your future self really hit home in a very practical and physical sense. Two instances came in quick succession. The first, when I reached for my last pair of contacts in my drawer where I keep a 'row' of contacts as they come out of the bigger box.

I thought, you know I could help myself out by getting the next set and putting them out now instead of waiting until Wednesday morning when I got to reach for them and realize I need to go to my back up source. So I did.  This morning when I reached in for a new set of 'eyes' it didn't even cross my mind what I had done for myself Monday morning.  

Next it was time for drying out my ears with a Q-tip (yes, I know you are only supposed to put your elbow in your ear) and I reached over to the little juice glass where we keep them and it was full. It was full because the night before I had noticed that the glass was empty (not half-empty, but fully empty) and decided I could fill that right then.

Finally, I started to really get the whole idea of helping out your future self. What else could I do this morning to help out the future me; unload the dishwasher? Chop an onion? Pack your lunch the night before?  Get your gym bag ready so you wont have the excuse of not having it the next day.  

If I hadn't already, I could have planned supper and gotten some meat out of the freezer. Remember in Bill and Ted's Great Adventure how they started leaving things like keys and notes for themselves? Ok, I digress, but it's the same concept.

Of course now I am finally starting to see the application for your money. Don't buy that shiny new thing today and make your future self pay for it by putting in on a credit card. Instead pay cash, or consider not even buying it at all.

So what can you do for your future self?

I'd like to point out that I found a few things that my previous self didn't help me with, like taking the dry cleaning out to the car the night before.  I didn't chop that onion, nor did I unload the dishwasher.  I also didn't get my gym bag into the car, nor did I make lunch for J the night before.

I guess you can say I ain't perfect.   Just thought you ought to know.  :)