Mindless Money

   Last summer, my dad decided that it would be a good idea for me to start to manage my own money. I have always gotten an allowance and spending money for when I went out but this was different. We went to the bank and opened a debit card account and at the end of every month he puts a certain amount in the account and it is for me to spend or save how I please. Something I learned very quickly was that all those little purchases, those $2-3 items, they add up really fast to the point where I think I have $30 when I really have $10. While a debit card is considered to be cash, it's still a credit card. You cannot physically see how much you have unless you look it up online whereas with cash, you run out and your done for the day. Another thing I have found is that saving, something that used to be so mindless, has become increasingly difficult. Moving money from one account to the other is easy but its not like cash where you can hide it and have it just grow. I have figured it out to a point so that every month I split my allowance in half so a little bit goes to both spending and savings. I better start saving now if I want money for the long run I guess.