You’ve made it this far – we are so close to the end! If you’ve been following along, you’ve been budgeting for nearly two months – that’s a huge deal, and I want to congratulate you. I KNOW it’s not easy…but nothing worth it is ever easy, right?!
Today I want to talk to you a bit about sticking with your budget, and why it is SO important to stay on-track during these early months.
I know it’s easy to quit. I’ve done it a million times before, and you know what? It’s never, ever, EVER been worth it.
If you stick with your budget for just a few months, you’ll start seeing results. Your cash envelopes, if you’re using them, will start getting fatter. You won’t feel like you’re constantly running out of money. You’ll think twice before you go on a late-night online shipping binge.
It will feel amazing.
These early months are the toughest…I promise! Once you have control of your money, you’ll realize it gets easier and easier to keep control of it.
I’m not trying to suggest that budgeting magically becomes easy and that you will suddenly have tons of money. Keeping a budget and caring about your finances is a lifestyle, and it’s something we have to work on every single day in our home. We’ve committed to it, and it’s something we’re sticking with even if we don’t like it (and I don’t always like it!).
There have been times in the past when we’ve had money come in and my immediate reaction is to spend it on something I want, or something we “need” for the house. Many times, I have done just that. But recently, I’ve heard a little voice in my head asking me this when I want to buy something unplanned:
“Is this (shirt/expensive craft supply/whatever-it-is-I-want-to-buy) going to bring me more joy than getting out debt?”
99% of the time, the answer is NO. This impulse buy will not bring me more joy than getting out of debt. Sticking to my budget, though, WILL bring me joy…because that’s how we are getting out of debt!
Your budget will change, and it will change frequently! It’s a good idea to check in periodically with yourself and your partner, if you’re not doing this alone, to see where you stand and what you need to change to set yourself up for success.
Here is your homework:
Print out this Spending Habits Worksheet (or, just open it and look it over). If you’re budgeting with a spouse or partner, do this together. You’ll want to ask yourself these questions (and maybe others you come up with yourself) every few months so you can tweak your budget to fit your lifestyle. You want your budget to serve you…and in order for that to happen, you need to be realistic about how you spend and what you need to change.
I would LOVE to hear how you’re doing! You can respond to this email, or let me know in our Facebook group! If you’re not alread in the group, please join us for discussions, support, and helpful information!
Here by accident? Hi! You’ve stumbled upon my 60 Day Budgeting Challenge. You can learn more here.
