Keeping Score

Well, hello there. Nice to see you again! Did you see the game last weekend? Amazing! I have to
admit that I turned it off because my team was getting crushed, and it was too painful to watch.
Sometimes I’m convinced they lose just because I’m watching the game. Superstitious much?
Maybe a little. On the upside, I probably ended up eating fewer tortilla chips.
Still, I really wish I had stuck it out because I missed one of the Greatest Comebacks Ever. Hey,
a win is a win even if it’s only by 1, right? Yes, it is. But nobody wins if we don’t keep score.
That’s how every game works. Keeping score is part of what makes it fun. (Unless it’s soccer.
Those fans are lucky to see one or two goals in a match. Maybe that’s why they yell
GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLL! for so long?)
When you want to know how your team is doing but you’re working late or are stuck at a school
meeting, you sneak a peek at the score from time to time. Admit it, you do. So does everyone
else. The question everybody wants the answer to is “What’s the score?” That’s because the
score is one way—but not the only way—to get an idea of how things are going.
It might sound a little strange but keeping score can be helpful when it comes to personal
finances too. And you don’t even have to use boxes. Taking a look at where you are with money
on a regular basis is one way to keep track of the progress you’re making toward your goals.
You might be pleasantly surprised to see that what we do together really does produce results.
Achieving your financial goals is as rewarding as making that touchdown, shooting the three-
pointer, or sliding into home. Safe!
But keeping your money score is also an effective way to reduce the dread factor. You know,
the apprehension and fear you feel when you can’t remember when you last looked at your
finances for longer than the 30 seconds it takes to check your checking account balance. (The
fact that practically nobody writes checks anymore makes me wonder when they’ll stop calling
them “checking accounts.”)
You don’t need to take your financial temperature constantly. It’s ideal to check your score
once a month. That’s partly because so many financial things are on a monthly cycle, things like
your cell phone and internet bills, loan payments, and average daily balance are calculated every
month. But it’s also because taking a monthly snapshot of where you are with your money
guarantees that you’re paying enough attention to it without obsessing over it. (Don’t worry,
fellow-OCDers. You can check your score more often if you really want to!)
But there is a question that’s even more important than “What’s the score?”
It’s “What do you want to achieve?” It’s okay to dream big as long as you remember that a
dream you’re not willing to work for is only a fantasy. Go ahead. Nothing can stop you!

 Dig out from high-interest credit card debt.
 Save up enough to buy a new truck or spend a week at that Caribbean all-inclusive.
 And what about putting a deposit on a little bundle of fur from the next litter of puppies?
Awwww. (Tell her Bailey says hello!)
These are the kinds of dreams I love to help with—the kinds of dreams that learning how to
manage your money can make come true.
So, don’t be afraid to check the score. You’re winning!
Remember who loves you, ;-)
--Diane

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