Tomorrow

Hello Project Money Week 6! Allow me to reminisce once again. When I was about 10 or 11 years old, my parents took me to a production of Annie, the musical based on the Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, in Ames, Iowa. Like many others, I was enthralled from the very beginning. In fact, I loved the musical so much that I started collecting both Little Orphan Annie memorabilia and merchandise from the movie version that came out shortly after in 1982.  I still have my collection today. 

Even as an adult, the musical’s themes continue to resonate with me. I can relate to Annie and her sense of positivity as she sings songs of tomorrow despite adversities that she faces. I can relate to her optimism as she shares her hopes and dreams of being reunited with her parents, having a family, and being happy. I can relate to the manipulative Rooster and his girlfriend Lily who take advantage of good people for their own selfish gains as I have witnessed this behavior in others. And I can relate to “It’s the Hard Knock Life” too. Some of the initial euphoria from Project Money has worn off and the hard work has begun. The musical Annie takes place during The Great Depression, and my participation during Project Money echoes Depression mottos of “Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without.” These are not easy habits to make.  

In today’s day and age, we sometimes connect money to happiness. We think that if we work hard enough we can make more money and thus somehow be happier. While having money may afford some unique opportunities, the fact is that we get to create our own happiness.

As I reflect on my own life, I take time to reflect on what is important to me. My family is important, my relationships are important, and my ability to have a positive impact on the world is important. I will never be a Nobel Peace Prize recipient or a canonized saint, but I can make an impact on all those I meet in my small corner of the world:  my children and my family, my boyfriend and his extended family, colleagues, students, and even strangers I meet on the street. I can make the choice each day to get up and spread joy to others, choosing a Grace Farrell or Annie attitude, and escape the Miss Hannigan’s of my past and embrace the present. 

One of the Miss Hannigan’s in the room for me revolves around credit card debt. I have two main credit cards; one earns me points and free makeup from Ulta and the other mileage points for travel. Hey that sounds great. The only problem is that I have not been paying the cards off fully each month and this has been a cause of anxiety. As a result, interest accrues and each month I have been slapped with unneeded finance charges. It seems to be a vicious cycle of never getting ahead. If I am not happy, it is no one else’s fault but my own, so this month my financial coach and I rearranged some funds and paid off one of the two cards in full. I am working on transferring some automatic withdrawals to another account and have tucked that card away for emergencies -- emergencies that do not include takeout pizza or Chinese food. So one down and one to go. It feels so good to have tackled that debt and to have a plan for my future. 

I have a long ways to go but feel like I am moving in the right direction. Even in the musical Annie, Annie and the other orphans had setbacks and Daddy Warbucks himself had struggles of his own: Warbucks lived in a giant mansion and was surrounded with luxuries beyond belief, but he too discovered that something was missing in his life. This week’s Fun Fact deals with credit cards and some common sense suggestions:  pay with cash whenever possible, differentiate between needs and wants, pay off credit card debt each month, and if this is not possible, pay more than the minimum payment, and consolidate debt to lower monthly interest rates. With these simple tips, you won’t be in debt for long and will soon be singing about tomorrow.  I wonder if there is a children's museum that would welcome a Little Orphan Annie collection. Perhaps there is a benefactor who would support a musical-themed restaurant?  Hmmm. Dare to dream. Project Money continues to focus my habits and “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here.”  #TeamHeiss  #10K  #embracethejourney  #ProjectMoney2018 #SummitCreditUnion #Lifeistooshortnottotakerisks