Dear Budget: Reason #7 Why I Hate You

fair budget

Reason #7: It’s Not Faaaiiiiiirrrr!

It’s not fair! Right! We are grown freakin' women and we “can’t” spend our money the way we want to.

Our budget can try and explain it logically. It says calmly, “Oh yes, it is fair because you want to continue to eat and live in your home, so you have to budget” But your inner child isn’t hearing that and simply responds “But it isn’t fair!” What that inner child is really saying is “I don’t like this”.

The reason why isn’t your fault.

Your brain responds to the word budget the same way it responds to diet. The connotation is deprivation, suffering, agony, depression. Instead of thinking about all the wonderful things a budget can do for you: peace of mind, no more collection phone calls, no more money fights with hubby, using cash to pay for a vacation to Hawaii, no more stretching out your paycheck to last the next 8 days..all we focus on is FOMO. What we can’t have.

I am always talking about mindset and how hugely that impacts what we do and how we behave.

We can spend our money the way we want to. But Money Bosses spend their money smart, then they spend it on what they want. 

Here are a few tips to help you shift your mindset:

  • Make sure your budget is aligned with your goals

  • Give it a different name, call it a money map, a spending plan. Heck, call it BOB.

  • Start small. Set a spending limit for 1 thing. Work on getting that right first.

  • Then take more baby steps.

  • Plan for and allow mistakes. Then extend grace to yourself.

  • Make sure you are attacking debt in the best way for YOUR personality. I teach my clients 4 different methods and we choose the right fit.

These small steps should get you on the right trail. Want more? Join our 4 Day Money Mindset Challenge before September 12th.

April Ethridgebudget, mindset, spending