The financial pressure is mounting and without careful planning I can see the health of my bottom-line articulated with red ink.

As I mention last time around, I was brought up by fiscally-conservative parents. You know they type: don’t spend it if you don’t have it. Anyway, that attitude has rubbed off on me and for the most part has served me well.

This attitude is of issue because I forgot to plan for my son’s annual sports and summer camp fees. For whatever reason, next winter’s hockey fees are payable now, along with next season’s soccer fees, ski pass and so on.
I’m sure my portion of the bill, which I split with the lad’s mother, will cost about $600. And there is no excuse for my lack of planning, as I paid these same bills this time last year and the year before.

Because, I was brought up to spend only what I have (mortgages and car loans a different issue), I feel compelled to somehow make it work.

The easiest way for me to come up with the $600 in the next six weeks is to dine in and not out. One friend has kindly pointed out that I am not as much fun while I work through this ode to bad planning. But, I hold to the theory that the dinners are more fun when I’m looking forward to the future and not deciding how to pay for the past.