Or in other words, why you need a budget!! Okay, I saw that eyeroll! I know that big bad ‘B’ word brings up a lot of negativity for most people. Words like restriction and control-in all the bad ways (no fun, never able to spend, your budget is the boss of you). I want to flip that thinking, and have you thinking about freedom, and control-in all the right ways (you spend intentionally based what is important to you), about the ‘B’ word. So, let’s dive in so I can convince you to get started with your very first budget, or dust off an old one. 

Reason #1 – Not having a budget is causing you to blow so much money every single month!!

Think about it, you have an idea (hopefully a good one) of how much money you make. Does it feel like you make that much, or do you feel like you make a lot less? Without a budget, chances are pretty good that you feel like you make a lot less.

Without a plan for your money each month and each pay, your money is running through your hands and not being put toward the things that are important to you. I want to change that!

 Reason #2 – It gives your money clear direction.

Let me put this in really simple terms, you would not drive to a destination 2 hours away, that you have never been to before without using GPS (or a map—are those still a thing?) to get you there, would you? If you tried, think how much gas and time you would waste, and would you ever actually get there? Your money is the same, without a plan, you will make your financial goals pretty damn difficult to achieve!

No budget = Very LOOOOONG road to your financial goals

Reason #3 – It gives your freedom to easily adjust your spending based on what is important to you.

Having a budget that is dialed in, and easy for you to stay on track with, makes adjusting the plan so easy! If a trip across the globe becomes priority #1 in your life, you reduce and remove things from your budget that are less important, so you can funnel more money into your vacation savings account. Love to travel and don’t have one of those? We should talk!

The reality is that life changes, and being able to make shifts with your finances along with life, will change your life.

Reason #4 – It gives you peace of mind.

And that my friends, is really what it is all about, isn’t it? Imagine you get fired! It is completely out of the blue and you are SHOCKED!! Now, let’s imagine it two different ways.

1-    You do not have an emergency savings account. In fact, you have zero money saved. Think about how you would feel. Pretty scary and stressful, right?

2-    Now think how you would feel if you had enough money saved in your emergency fund to cover three months (or even 6 months) of living expenses? It is a much different feeling. The savings helps you to not have to worry about money in a situation that is pretty stressful on its own.

 The outcome of what happens next could also be very different. Option 1 has you taking the next job that comes along, because if you don’t, you are screwed. Option 2 gives you TIME! Time to think about what is next. It gives you so much more freedom.

Having a budget, and systems in place to help you see if you are getting off track, allows you to be intentional with your money, and identify where your financial leaks are. It helps you recognize where your money is going vs. where you want it to go, and it helps you make changes so you can grow your savings and pay down debt quickly!

 Please, please, please, tell me that I have at least started to pull you over to team Budget Love!! If I have, let’s keep the motivation going!! CLICK HERE to get access to my free budget template!!

Happy budgeting!

Sherry