Budget talks are coming, it’s in the air. Both of us tense up just thinking about it, but it’s almost the end of the month and it must be done. We have put it off for a couple years, and we’ve managed to skate by without having to pay too much attention to our accounts, but both of us know we need to buckle down and start being smarter with our money in order to pay off our debt. There are other reasons to budget (not just to pay off debt) and I made a list to prove to myself that it’s not that bad.
When I am freaking out and I want to cut Adam for being a total moron and not agreeing with me about everything (it happens) I can refer to this list:
1. Being on a budget makes me creative. My whole business was started 2+ years ago because we could not afford the furniture I wanted, but I was determined to have some pieces I liked. I started making things for our home and selling the excess, and it turned out to be profitable and fun work. A business was born.
2. Budgeting reminds me that I don’t have to buy everything I think I need RIGHT NOW. I have been in a few tricky spots before because I couldn’t afford things I “needed” but I’m happy to say nothing was ever unbearable. I made it without those “needed” items and I think I’m better for having to struggle a bit. I’ve learned to adapt to my circumstances, take a positive approach, maintain a sense of humor, get creative with what I have and I’ve also become quite resourceful. These skills were all learned by necessity and through practice. Budgeting flexes these skills, and I’m thankful to have to practice them. What else will I learn?? So exciting!
3. Budgeting makes Adam and I work together to accomplish something, and it reminds us that we are a team. That strengthens our relationship. It is not easy agreeing about where to spend our money; Adam and I are VERY different, with very different interests and philosophies. When we work together with the same goal in mind, though, we always accomplish more, strengthen our marriage, and learn about each other along the way. Yay marriage!
4. Budgeting makes me think about my values. How I spend my money says a lot about what I care about, whether I’m budgeting it or not. It really makes me think about what I care about and why. That exercise helps me grow.
5. Budgeting makes me feel at least somewhat in control of our finances. Whether or not we really are in control is irrelevant. Feeling like I’m spending my money with a purpose, I know what I can spend and I’m not throwing money around- those are all huge benefits!
If there is a post next week about how much we hate each other, just be warned that it’s because we are in the middle of a heated budget war. You may need to remind me that budgeting is GOOD and will pay off in the long run… even after writing all this out, I’m still thinking about the dreaded pinch.
