So I like budgets… but I’m willing to bet that you probably don’t.
And why is that?
Am I just a huge dork, and you’re the prettiest girl at the prom with no time for that financial nonsense?
Probably, but there’s a chance that your experience with budgets has been entirely with budgets that just suck.
But they don’t have to.
Do you even need a budget?
Budgets are a great tool, but they’re just that… a tool. Hammers are a great tool too, but only for when you’ve got to get some hammering done. If you’ve got to get a wine bottle open… a hammer probably isn’t the right tool for the job.
So what is a budget good for?
Budgets can help you:
- Pay off your debt
- Save for something (A house, a car, a trip to Kalamazoo)
- Make a little money go a little further
- Feel more in control of your financial situation
- Get a sense of where your money is going
If you’re not interested in any of that… then you might not need a budget.
If you do… how do you build one that you’ll actually use (for longer than a week)?
Don’t budget bullshit
So you wanna build an awesome budget… you know what you should base it on…? Something that’s already awesome.
You.
I don’t know you, but I do know that you’re pretty great, and your budget should be equally great.
Anybody can scribble down some numbers on a piece of paper that they think look reasonable and call it a budget.
But that kind of budget isn’t awesome… it’s bullshit. And you can’t budget bullshit.
Making a budget more than a budget
A budget isn’t a bunch of numbers (even though it looks like a bunch of numbers). It’s a plan… it’s a life plan… and so it needs a hearty dose of passion to fuel it.
What that passion is doesn’t matter… but it NEEDS to be there.
So what are you passionate about? Wanna sing at the Met? Wanna build a dream home? Want to travel the world?
That’s the plan (budget) that you need to make. The plan that’s based on your deepest wants and desires.
That’s what turns another bullshit budget… into an amazing life plan.
If it looks like a duck… and it quacks like a duck… it must be a …
Okay… confession time (you’re gonna find out soon enough anyway).
Your awesome life plan, is still gonna look like a bullshit budget.
It’s still gonna have all the mundane little spending details and structure that every budget has. It’s gonna have categories and monthly balances. You’re going to have to track your spending and a bunch of stuff that you may not wanna do.
No one is going to know that your budget is different, that you’re special.
But it makes all the difference.
Getting what you want is hard work. It doesn’t matter if you want something huge, or something pretty reasonable.
But you know what else is hard work? Maintaining your bullshit. Keeping up appearances. Trying to show the world that you’re more together than you really are.
You’re gonna do the work either way.
So don’t use your budget just to prove that you’re an adult… and while you’re at it … maybe don’t use a hammer to open your wine bottles.
Because you’re awesome. And you deserve a good life, and a glass of wine that won’t kill you…
I’m not a fan of budgets either in the sense that it’s used as a crystal ball to try to predict the future. I keep track of the stuff that has to be paid every month, and then from there I can determine how much I can invest. But trying to guess how much I’ll spend on groceries and gas? I don’t see the point.
I like this. Throwing a bunch of numbers together and calling it a budget is probably what the majority of people do. I like the advice of implementing passion into it and revolving your budget around achieving your dream. That makes it fun and less of a mundane task. Plus, it keeps you focused on your ultimate goal! Never really thought of budgeting in that sense before.
-DP
I’m so glad it was a helpful thought. When you grow up in the arts you look for ways to throw passion into everything… and hey presto… some must have landed on my budget :-).
Happy budgeting! Thanks for stopping by.
Yeah, I know many (most?) people would prefer a root canal to doing a budget. When they hear the word ‘budget’ they conjure images of receipts and tedium and denial and spreadsheets and icky numbers. But when I hear ‘budget’ I think of making goals easier to reach, early retirement, financial independence, and controlling my financial destiny. Nothing tedious about that!
I’m not a huge fan of root canals… but I’d make the argument that even they have their place (better than an infection). I love my budget, but I think even if you’re not a budget freak (like we both clearly are) it can be a pretty awesome tool… if you use it right.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Budgets are a beautiful thing. BUT (the eraser word) sticking to them is sometimes the issue. I completely agree that there must be a GOAL for your money. Without a goal, you’re performing yet another mundane task (making and sticking to a budget) in your daily life. With goals in place, you can quickly see how your money is going in the right directions to achieve your goals. Getting closer to your goals is motivating! And let’s face it, getting there is half the fun!
I often think how I would react if I hit the lottery (likely to not happen, since I don’t play 😉 and didn’t need to “fiddle” with budgets and spreadsheets anymore. I think I’d be bummed. The process truly is part of the fun.
Keep Kicking A$$!
Mrs. Money Monster
I think if I won the lottery I would totally put that money into my budget… it might be the most fun budget session of all :-).
Totally agree with you! Thanks so much for stopping by.