by Hope
I have participated in several programs put on by The Nourish to Flourish Society this year. And while they are a women’s health program focused on what women eat, how we eat and so much more regarding self care, I learned a lot about myself. Many of the concepts can be applied to my financial life, one in particular.
What is a Bottom Line?
Angelle and Jill present this as it relates to food choices, specifically soda. Here is what they have to say about Bottom Lines.
What are bottom lines? They are the decisions you’ve already made about what you will eat or not eat or about how you will or will not exercise or about how you will or will not talk to yourself or about habits and rituals you will do or not do.
For example, what if every time you are in a situation where you could drink soda you felt torn about it? You kind of want to drink it even though you know it’s not nourishing for you. You then have to decide EVERY time if you are going to drink it or not drink it. It can be exhausting.
This was fantastic advice for me when it comes to eating and making those hard decisions when trying to stick to healthy eating. But I have come to realize that this is just as applicable to my financial decisions.
What are my Bottom Lines?
My bottom lines have evolved over the years as I have moved on this BAD journey. Probably my first was was giving up soda. Not only did I give it up personally, but I removed it completely along with most “junk/snack” food from my grocery budget. By doing that and by living by a meal plan has made a tremendous impact on my grocery budget over the years.
Some other bottom lines I have include:
- No entertainment budget. Deciding if we are going to go out at any given time and do something that costs money is a no brainer. Unless something has been planned for a while, we just don’t spend money on a whim anymore.
- Clothes. For years, we have spent money on clothes two times a year. My kids know this, I know this. Again, we don’t shop for clothes or even look at them when we are out.
- And more.
I think one of the things that really makes the “bottom line” concept work for me is that my kids are aware of my bottom lines too. This keeps the “asking” and “whining” and the “expectations” at bay and takes the pressure off me. Does this make sense to you?
So considering the aforementioned definition, what are your financial bottom lines? And having those bottom lines, how much do these “pre-made” decisions help in your day to day life.
Ladies, if you are looking for an amazingly supportive program related to self care, you should check out Nourish to Flourish’s *free* digital copy of 7 Ways to Nourish Your Life Everyday + 7 Recipes You’ll Love. You can register on their website here. (This is not an affiliate link, I have just really enjoyed their content so I thought I would share it.)
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
