Resolutions, or helpful suggestions

Well I had two half-hearted new year's resolutions to help with my financial goals for the year:  no more eating out and pay cash for everything but gas (don't use the debit card for any purchases but gas).  Yesterday, January 2nd, I failed on the cash one.

It is so easy to just pull out the debit card!  I consider us lucky that we immediately run to the debit card rather than an actual credit card.  At least with the debit card the money is immediately gone, you're not just racking up interest on debt you'll have to pay for later.  But still, our debit card spending is out of control.

The biggest problem is, as nice as cash sounds, you actually have to go to the bank to get it.  I never go to the bank.  It's out of the way and a hassle to get to.  And why should I?  Our paycheck is direct deposited into our checking, our savings account automatically takes money out of the checking account after the paycheck is in there, and if I need to monitor/pay/question any transactions, I can do it all through online access.  Ahhh, the wonders of technology!  I can be even more of a hermit than I already was!

So now I'm going to have to actually write it on my calendar or something and force myself to go get cash twice a month....  So far I haven't done that, hence the trip to Sam's Club that was partially put on the debit card (I say "partially" because I used a gift card for part of the purchase. thanks, Mom, for buying my toilet paper and Boca burgers).

It's amazing how fragile budgets are in the beginning.  You think you have it all worked out, but there is always some reason to put something on a card instead of paying cash, or to justify buying the kids ANOTHER book with money that is technically allocated for charitable giving.  I know that once you get in the habit of budgeting, it's really not that bad.  It's just getting IN that habit...

Why is it that bad habits are so easy to fall into, yet good habits are impossible to start?  Smoking, drinking, caffeine, sugar...  these are habits I can really get behind!  Those things, you do it once and you're hooked.  It's harder NOT to smoke than it is to smoke.  But budgeting?  It's not something that you can do once and find it impossible to stop.  Oh no, you could do it twenty times and, though it does get easier, it is still a pain in the butt and oh so easy to give up.
Though maybe I am just looking at it wrong...