So Happy Turkey Day! Yes, I know I am late but it seems like I spent all my free time shopping the last couple weeks. I want to say yes I got some mega deals and am now done shopping (minus the last couple gifts- but I know what they will be!). HOWEVER, my grocery budget is already busted and we are halfway through our month. Should I really be surprised since this is the biggest feast month of the year though? I guess we will be eating from our pantry and not heading to the store. I am right on track for our holiday shopping thanks to some really great deals I got online. This talk of budgeting brings me to my question... Do you really know what you are spending?
My husband talked me into putting our checkbook on the computer as soon as we were married as a way to keep things organized. I protested knowing that "my way was best" and that we could just keep receipts and write them in the registrar. Soooo "my way" only lasted maybe one and a half month before I found how easy it was his way. We decided to use Microsoft Money- because it was already installed on his computer and FREE! Over eight years later I am thankful that he stuck to his guns. I love pulling up a report and seeing exactly what I have spent or knowing ahead of time what my balance is after all the bills come out. Also, I have a more accurate picture of what my spending patterns really are and not just throwing ideas up of what my budget "should be." I know there are many other programs out there to help you keep track of your finances but this has been the easiest and cheapest for us.
Which brings me to another point- find something that works for you and stick with it! We had heard so many good things about the "envelope system" that we just had to try it. So we tried it for about 3 months and abandoned it. We ended up spending more money, felt so unorganized, and weird carrying around cash. Greenbacks in our hands has always meant "spend" and so when we tried the cash envelope system, that's exactly what we did. It wasn't what was right for us and that is okay. We are those uncommon people that use a debit card for EVERYTHING. (Case in point, my brother-in-law paid for my husband's movie because my brother-in-law didn't want my husband to have to put a $2.00 charge on his card. My husband was more than willing of course to let him to it even though he could careless if it was a 53 cent charge on his card!) We love using a debit card because there is so much accountability because every transaction is recorded and we know were every penny is going- or not going for that matter! A pro and con of this is both of us know exactly were every cent is going, meaning there are not many surprises on presents but also there are not many surprises on things we spent money on that could be considered not necessary in our budget :)
[Disclaimer: We do not use credit cards for purchases unless we are paying them off completely right after the transaction or for very large purchases quickly of a matter of months with no interest or fees- just to avoid depleting our savings in one final swoop. Please notice I said DEBIT card not credit card.]
My "thoughts" on budgeting....
1. Be organized about it! Find what works for you though.
2. If you make a budget, use it, why waste your time making one if you won't use it?
3. Make budget goals, weekly/monthly and quarterly/yearly/etc.
4. Don't forget to plan for those unexpected items too! (Like Thanksgiving food!)
5. Find accountability somewhere, be it your spouse, relatives, friends, or "followers" on a blog :-)
Got any thoughts or tips for me or others? I welcome your comments and would love to share your story.
Matthew 6:24-25
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? "
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