chapter 5~"Budgeting & getting clear"

Excerpted from Chapter 5 of my new book~"Budgeting & Getting Clear"

"The budget is your friend.

The budget is your friend.

The budget is your friend.

This is what I say to clients who are getting control of their money.  So many people seem to think the budget is a horrible thing.  They huff and sigh whenever we do budgets in class, and moan and groan when I bring up the subject in coaching sessions.  Dave Ramsey, one of my money mentors, describes 2 financial personality types:  The Free Spirit, and The Nerd.   For the nerd, a budget is automatically fun.  For the free spirit, it is often torture.

I have been a free spirit for most of my life.  Until recently for me a budget meant:  strictness, living on bread and water, denying all pleasure.  Just.  No.  Fun.  Growing up, my parents were strict budgeters, and while they did spend money on themselves for fun, that was done quietly, without a lot of fanfare.  Because I didn't see them doing a lot of giving or fun with their money, I interpreted that as suffering.  I vowed that I would have fun with money as an adult.  I would always say "yes"!

And I did!  I said "yes" a lot!  I have always used my money to bring pleasure to myself and others, and as a result have been able to do incredibly generous giving and build a business doing work I love.  Unfortunately, I often didn't know where to stop, and often had my lifestyle expand beyond my wage!   I didn't know how to say "no", either to my wants, or to the wants of others.  And so my budget often showed expenses higher than income.  I was continually playing catch up with myself, which was incredibly stressful.

Now I'm all about balance.  The balance between "yes" and "no".   The balance between wants and needs.  Through regular budgeting, I am now debt free, with an extra cushion in savings.  I have the balance that my budget brings me.  I feel an incredible peace of mind, as I know my needs are amply provided for, and my savings for my wants are growing steadily.  My hope is that your budget can be an empowering "balancing" tool for you too!  

Money loves to be paid attention to.  It tends to grow in the presence of attention.  When we do not pay attention to money, it disappears.  How can you pay more attention to your money?  With a budget.  Contrary to popular belief, a budget is not a set of handcuffs.  The budget is your friend!   It helps you choose where your dollars go~to giving, saving, lifestyle & fun.  Are you consciously choosing where your dollars go or are you frittering them away unconsciously?  It’s your choice."