balancing dough

In the past 48 hours, it has come to my attention that--I have lost more money than I can afford to lose. I have been a victim in a financial scam. And, for a responsible and intelligent human being, I can make some pretty idiotic choices... yhe last part of that is actually not true at all. The first two parts, however, unfortunately are. I almost wish I could reveal more, but I can't.

I am far too familiar with feelings of doubt, inadequacy, and fault in situations that I have very little control over. But being financially-conscious? Now that has never been my strong suit. Honestly, I simply do not like to give money too much value, I am neither a spender or a saver, and I don't mind being generous. Nonetheless, these recent events have been making me question my attention to detail when it comes to keeping my bank account as healthy as I try to keep my mind and body. So, I've acquired a few tips from scouring Women's Health:

• If you need to dry-clean often, make sure to shop around for the best price. Also, try to alternate visits with home dry-cleaning products like Dryel.
• Cut out ATM fees, they add up.
• Buy restaurant gift certificates and make a dining out vs. eating in schedule. I set up one for myself earlier last month.
• Set-up an overdraft account by linking your savings to your checkings.
• Always go to the grocery store or farmers market with a plan. And, whenever possible, buy generic.
• If you don't use something and no longer need it, sell it. Use sites like ebay, craigslist, or geoli.st. 

Despite my disappointment, sadness, and fury, there's no way I'm going to completely overhaul the way I think about and use money, but it's probably a good thing that I pay closer attention from now on. Pun most definitely intended.