Thought for today:

Practicing Tool Five corresponds to compiling our Eighth Step list. Just as in Step Eight we don’t actually do any amends (that’s done in Step Nine), it isn’t until the next tool, (Tool Six, “Action Plan”), that we actually have to change anything in our living arrangements.

In Tool Five we are simply starting the plans. And in starting them, the story amazingly begins to unfold before our eyes. What a beautiful gift to ourselves, to honor our journey in DA this way!

Tool Five:
“The spending plan puts our needs first and gives us clarity and balancing our spending. It includes categories for income, spending, debt payment, and savings (to help us build cash reserves, however humble). The income plan helps us focus on increasing our income. The debt payment category again guides us in making realistic payment arrangements without depriving ourselves. Savings can include prudent reserve, retirement, and special purchases.”(1)

Step Eight:
“Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.”(2)

Comparing our Planned transactions to our Actual transactions is much simpler after a PRG meeting – “The truth will set you free!”. Reviewing our initial numbers with our pressure people, seeing the truth they reveal, and reflecting on where to adjust helps us know what action to take to move toward our goals.

Am I willing to simply sit down and put the headings on the top of the page, and let my Higher Power fill in the details of my story?

Meditation for today:

Putting simple facts on paper can take our fear away. We gain such power when we allow the beautiful details of our life to unfold in such a storyline : “$3 donations, $37.90 gasoline” – whatever our numbers say, they are our truth, and they are beautiful. It is a story that deserves to be told, honestly, in all humility and with loving care.

Affirmation for today:

I will live within my means, but my means will not define me.

Prayer for today:

I pray for the presence of mind to sit honestly and start my spending, income, payment, and savings plans. I pray I won’t be discouraged by those pests, perfectionism, fear, and isolation.

Recommended further reading:

• A Currency of Hope, Debtors Anonymous.  This book is the basic text of the fellowship of Debtors Anonymous.

(By clicking the above book links you will be brought to Amazon.com.  If you decide to make a purchase, Amazon gives us a commission.  Using these book links in no way increases your cost of purchase.  It helps us defray the costs of running this website.  Please do not use a credit card to make the purchase.)

(1) From “The Twelve Tools of Debtors Anonymous”, copyright 2005 Debtors Anonymous General Service Board, Inc. Revised 2013.
(2) From “The Twelve Steps of Debtors Anonymous”, copyright 2005 Debtors Anonymous General Service Board, Inc. Revised 2013

Debtors Anonymous.org. This is the official website of Debtors Anonymous, the Twelve Step fellowship for recovery from compulsive debting.  There you can find meeting locations, and more literature about the fellowship.