In an effort to keep on top of our finances, I try to enter the details of all our receipts, bills and so on into a finance application (Moneydance), so that I can check the items off when the statement comes in and make sure that I'm not being swindled by the bank or anyone else. It doesn't actually mean we have any more money, but it does give an important illusion of control over the situation. Ideally, I would do this every week or so and it would take no more than five or ten minutes. So, do I do that? Do I heck. There are films to watch, books to read, not to mention sunny weather to bask in. In fact almost anything is more attractive that sitting down and entering receipts. This means that I sometimes go two or three months before tackling the task, when the pile of receipts beside the computer starts to resemble a bonsai Mount Kilimanjaro, with avalanches of white and yellow credit card slips threatening to rumble down the slopes at any moment. The longer you leave it, the harder the chore becomes, and the less you feel like doing it. Eventually, it takes up a whole morning, rather than being a five or ten minute task, but still I don't learn.