Budgeting Builds the Framework
You know, I have come to learn that I must budget far more than just money. What about my time? My schedule? And more important now that my metabolism has been shot down due to menopause (UGGG), my calories!
I have followed the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University budgeting system for many years. My husband and I have followed it since we met and into our marriage. Boy… the key word in Dave’s program is “Peace,” he’s not kidding!
I would get lost without a budget, almost like walking in the dark through a forest. Quite scary, if you ask me. Andy and I also budget our time, because simply said – if you think you’re gonna get it all done, you won’t. And then you find that you probably got the less important things done first. Prioritize your ‘to-do’ list and tackle it… one by one, and VOILA… so much easier! You’ll see.
When it comes to eating, and I speak for myself, I can chow down. Not only on big meals, but picking all day long — a bite here and there, because we know a bite won’t hurt, right? LOL! LOL! Well, wrong… add up all those bites, and see for yourself. When I budget my calories, what I do is write it all down. Do this for a week, and you’ll be flabbergasted. What you thought was to be a 1500 calorie day, all of a sudden reveals it’s ugly truth… drum roll please…. 2900 calories, maybe more. If you drink alcohol, sodas, or basically anything other than water, look out! Calories galore! You literally will have no idea because ‘guessing’ just doesn’t cut it, no matter what we think or believe. Once I did this, I could harness my eating and learned quick how to cut back. But keep in mind, just because the truth is revealed, doesn’t mean we’ll change a thing. Change doesn’t come easy, and habits are hard to break. But you have to know what needs to be cut, in order to do so.
A financial budget works exactly the same. You may put a budget in place which reveals the gross (literally ‘gross’) deficit you’re in, and once your spending items are laid out in front of your eyes, you will easily see what things are not ‘necessary’ and that can be cut. However, whether you do or not, is something a person must resolve within their own self. You can choose to live outside your budget and build debt, or you can dig your way out and live debt free. It’s a matter of want and discipline.
One time I assisted a friend with creating a budget. They had asked me for help, and I was very happy to do so. It took a little bit of time, and a couple meetings to do this, and once the budget was in place, this person decided there was no use. They told me that it was impossible to budget when you have little money. Basically they didn’t like the ‘red’ in this budget. I get it, life can be challenging, and when our checkbooks are in the red, a whole lot of “giving up” starts to take over. I look at it this way, when we want something bad enough, we get it. We find a way. That is TRUTH. And giving up ‘fun’ stuff to save money, or to get out of debt, is simply something that people don’t want to do that bad. We want change, but don’t want to change what we’re doing to get it.
I remember another time where someone close to me was barely getting by, and could literally only afford to put the absolute necessary amount of gas in her tank. She did not have money to fill up the tank. I took it upon my self, as I felt impelled by the spirit to do so, and asked if she and her husband tithed to their church. She laughed and scoffed a bit and said, “as you can see, I can barely put gas in my car – how would I be able to tithe? Don’t be silly.” Keep in mind that this person and her family are church goers, claim to love and know the Lord. <deep breath> … Why is it that we (and I say we because I believe we are all guilty of this at one time or another) only trust in the lord when it’s convenient? I’m not going to do a sermon on this, but I can firmly testify, from life’s experience and God’s hand all over my life, that once you submit to the lord and give the 10% that he asks for, and which is rightfully his to begin with, you will see your life turn around. You will not only find yourself better off financially, but you’ll have abundance so that you are blessed to help others who are in need. Is there a bigger blessing than that – to help others? But without faith and belief, we block God’s blessings. So sad. My husband learned this principal when we married. He always says that once we became one and obeyed the Lord, that at God speed, things changed for the better. God’s favor was (and is) upon us.
We must remember that we are not alone and don’t have to walk alone or carry life’s hardships – no matter how big or small they are. God makes many promises in the Bible, I heard one time that there are 7000 to 8000 to be precise. I love the scripture verse – Jeremiah 29:11. Go ahead, look it up! This says so much about God’s spirit and love for us. He wants the best for us. And what about the promises of tithing, that God repays in multiples? Read: Malachi 3:10-11, Proverbs 3:9-10. We only need to seek him.
Like in all situations, I find that I will get out of things what I put in to them. My mom always says, “You do your part, and God does His.” So anyhow you choose to look at it, budgeting helps us move forward for the better. However, if we fool ourselves into believing that it’s impossible, and that our situation(s) are helpless and hopeless, unfortunately we become paralyzed, and will probably stay in our rut.
Start now and create your life’s budgets. You will be on firm ground and discover that budgeting really does build the framework to a blessed and abundant life.
May you take God up on his many promises and build a strong foundation for you and your family, beneath his sky!