Budgeting doesn’t have to be a scary word, we’ll help you get started on your journey to financial success!
Success. Who wouldn’t want that? Think about it in the area of your finances and you’ll likely note that most people want victory with this area and yet struggle. The key to success in your finances is having a budget and being intentional with how you spend your money.
Please note, budgets are not as difficult as people think. Once you’ve gotten the budgeting basics down, you’ll feel motivated to tackle your finances with purpose! Check out how these tips will help you budget more successfully.
Slow Down
Learning to budget is a marathon, not a sprint! (Hint: Slow down.) My excitable personality usually throws me “all in headfirst” to every project I work toward. However, if I had done that with budgeting, then I would have become overwhelmed and probably given up.
Give yourself time and consider the following:
- Find a budget template that is easy to use
- Read articles and books full of budgeting success stories to spur you onward
- Don’t expect to catch on immediately
Go with a slower pace as you begin to budget. If you rush, then you may fall off the bandwagon rather than pressing forward toward success!
Cut Spending
If you want a successful budget, then try to find areas to cut your family’s spending ASAP. The goal of a budget is to tell your money where to go rather than let it “push” you around.
What can you live without or cut back on? Budgeting may require a few drastic measures and new thought processes.
Think of a few non-essentials that are expendable and calculate the potential savings. Next, make a few tweaks to your family’s spending and watch your money begin to stretch and grow. (That’s right, get excited.) You’ll be able to put the money you’ve saved toward paying down debt or an emergency fund, perhaps.
Consistency
To succeed with budgeting, you must be consistent. You can’t adhere to your budget in some categories but not in others. The categories that you struggle with tend to be your “problem areas.”
Ways to be consistent:
- Budget meeting checkups
- Track the money you spend
- Find ways to control your “problem areas” and stay within budget
Consistency is key because random budgeting won’t work long term. Your budget is simply a plan, but it won’t run on autopilot. Be consistent and work to stay within your budget’s parameters.
Give Yourself A Break
Cut yourself some slack. I’m my toughest critic. However, I realized with budgeting that giving yourself a break is much needed. You will not always meet or beat your budget. Unexpected expenses come up and (occasionally) we overspend or make a bad choice. Either way, your budget will make it and so will you.
OK, so now that you see budgeting is a journey, work to make it happen in your life! You won’t always get it right and that’s OK. The unexpected happens but if you have a plan then you will be able to handle it better.
Are you ready to enjoy your own budget success story? Then go for it! Give yourself some time, cut expenses, be consistent and, don’t forget to cut yourself some slack. Happy (Successful) Budgeting!