Budget ...does the very word annoy you?
Does it make you feel kind of trapped, oppressed, maybe...cranky?
I have a solution to the budget problem. I call it the Friendly Budget. This is a budget we are happy about, one that works for us, supports the things we like in our lives, and gets us where we need to be with our money! Here are a few tips for creating a friendly budget to get you started!
First, give your budget a name! Yes that is right, a name! A name makes it personal, makes it real. If we like the name, we are that much closer to incorporating it into our lives! Silly? Maybe, but it works!
Second, make sure it give us something we want! Add at least one fun line item for everyone in your household. Just like any other relationship, if our budget gives us something we like, want, or need, we are much more likely to keep it in our lives! So add some fun to your budget - maybe its money for a night out with friends, getting your hair done, money to buy bait for that fishing trip with the guys, or a new toy for the kids! Whatever the amount you have to spend, make sure you have something to look forward to every in every budget period.
Third, create an budget page for each pay check or direct deposit that comes into your household. Doing this removes the opportunity to think about how to spend your money, making it much more likely that you will stay on track. This seriously cuts down the chances of overspending. Trust me on this one - create a budget page for every check.
Fourth, get your Goals on! Make a line at the top of your budget for each of your financial goals. Nothing helps us to stay on track like success! So when we see that savings account growing, that total debt decreasing, and our fun funds funded, we get the feeling that budgets are a good thing and we keep using them!
Does it make you feel kind of trapped, oppressed, maybe...cranky?
I have a solution to the budget problem. I call it the Friendly Budget. This is a budget we are happy about, one that works for us, supports the things we like in our lives, and gets us where we need to be with our money! Here are a few tips for creating a friendly budget to get you started!
First, give your budget a name! Yes that is right, a name! A name makes it personal, makes it real. If we like the name, we are that much closer to incorporating it into our lives! Silly? Maybe, but it works!
Second, make sure it give us something we want! Add at least one fun line item for everyone in your household. Just like any other relationship, if our budget gives us something we like, want, or need, we are much more likely to keep it in our lives! So add some fun to your budget - maybe its money for a night out with friends, getting your hair done, money to buy bait for that fishing trip with the guys, or a new toy for the kids! Whatever the amount you have to spend, make sure you have something to look forward to every in every budget period.
Third, create an budget page for each pay check or direct deposit that comes into your household. Doing this removes the opportunity to think about how to spend your money, making it much more likely that you will stay on track. This seriously cuts down the chances of overspending. Trust me on this one - create a budget page for every check.
Fourth, get your Goals on! Make a line at the top of your budget for each of your financial goals. Nothing helps us to stay on track like success! So when we see that savings account growing, that total debt decreasing, and our fun funds funded, we get the feeling that budgets are a good thing and we keep using them!