Watch the pennies, find the dollars

Turns out this isn’t actually a Ben Franklin quote, but whatever. You’ve probably heard this one a million times…

Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.

I was never a big fan of it. And in the past decade, I became a big picture, visionary, woo-woo girl. I couldn’t be bothered.

But something weird happened when I started “doing my numbers”, which is program-speak for writing down every penny you spend.

First, I noticed that my cell phone bill came in at twice what I expected. I called them and found out that a promotional rate had expired, and got that reinstated. I also found that I’d been billed for an iPad line and insurance for an iPad I’d tested out for a few days then returned in July. For six months, I paid this pointless thing. They reimbursed me. And I got a credit for something else. That resulted in no bill for this coming month, and a lower one for the next.

Next, I started looking at expenses for my online coaching and courses. I was hearing complaints about the set up, with people having a hard time getting back in to my courses even when logged in. So, I started looking around. In the end, I found a system that does everything I had before but BETTER, for one-fourth the price!!! And I love the new system.

Then, I did a deep dive into a so-called business that I’d been running with a friend, helping people learn a language of Ghana. It was a money sink. I finally realized that if I was so good at helping people, why was it not a raving success? Obviously, I wasn’t the one to do it. In putting together the year’s numbers and sorting things out with my friend, I found another $100 coming my way.

So, Ben Franklin if you didn’t say it, I will…

Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. — Joan Gregerson