Budgeting

What I've learned about budgeting.

• Zero-based budget
• Do what works best for you-not how you see others doing it
• Financial coach
• No such thing as perfect budget-new budget end of month every month for the following month, spend next months money before the month begins
• Budget meeting with spouse once a week or once a month-if possible, if not, press on and do your best.
• Goals. Have them.  Big or small.  Dream.
• Never stop learning.
• Be a student of budgeting.  Forever. 

What are some tips that you have learned?  I am SUCH a learner and love learning more and more so I can't get enough tips :)

More later...

My First Step in Organizing Finances

For a long time I didn't have any order in money. I didn't have any real clear direction. I didn't know what I was missing out on.

It was probably 2011 when I really started diving in and asking for help and searching online for help to learn how to manage our money and live within our means. I remember saying of there was a school or class I could go to to learn all I could know about our money, I wanted to be there. 

Well I never did find just that, but it worked out to having help from my mom, help online and in books I had found and read, and reading and learning all I could about managing money. Then in 2013 I had a friend who could be a DaveRamsey  financial coach who helped me even more and this time it was tailored to my personal situation.  This was very helpful.



So here I am.  July 2013 and I love budgeting.  I love getting order in the finances and I love helping others simplify theirs.  It is fun and I can't wait to learn more and more.

My first step that I am thinking right now is being willing to look at the finances and being willing to take steps to make it right.  I believe if someone isn't willing to look at their finances and how what they are currently doing is working, then nobody can help them much until there is that willingness.

I just love it when I come across people who know they are in a financial mess, but they are willing to take a look at what is going on and see what steps can be taken to make some orderly changes and make a new start with a new direction.  Being willing opens so many doors to change for the better.

Budget does NOT Mean Cheap

Why does the word budget make me think that I have to live so cheaply?  I don't get it?  I believe people can be on a budget and spend big and really get whatever they want.  Let me look at what the word budget really means.

budg·et

  [buhj-it]  Show IPA noun, adjective, verb,budg·et·ed, budg·et·ing.

noun

1.

an estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future.

2.

a plan of operations based on such an estimate.

3.

an itemized allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period.

4.

the total sum of money set aside or needed for a purpose: the construction budget.

5.

a limited stock or supply of something: his budget of goodwill.

An estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period of time.  A plan of operations based on such an estimate.  Does that sound like cheap or suffering?  Does that sound stressful?  Does that sound like you have to squeeze by or you have to use coupons on everything you buy?  It doesn't to me.  To me it makes me feel organized and secure, like there is a plan.

Don't believe the lie that just because you have a budget you are going to be suffering like you are on a diet.  Now if you have gotten yourself into a financial mess there will be baby steps to get out of it, but just having the plan written out, is relieving and not restricting.  Freedom will come from it.

Here is a few good places to start: 

Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps
Dave Ramsey's Budgeting Forms
Dave Ramsey's Radio Show

Listen to some of his advice and it is practical and easy to understand.  I love listening to his radio show and also am doing the Baby Steps and have used some of his budgeting forms.  It can be fun if you change your perspective on budgeting. 

More later...

Dave Ramsey is My New Friend

Dave Ramsey is my new friend.  I have been working 3 years on finances.  I wanted to learn.  A lot.  I would have done anything to be in a "learn all about finances and how to handle them school."  I wanted to learn to live within means without debt.  It is amazing that going through 4 years of college I never learned how to do that.  It would seem, just like parenting, that this is something we would learn.  I am amazed at how little we know about this.  How many people do you know that live fully off of cash?  No debt?  I am aspiring to be, and will be, one of those people.  I have had many resources the past few years on finances, but an awesome girl's help who is a great financial coach for Dave Ramsey's program, and Dave Ramsey himself, have topped the icing onto the cake.  I cannot wait for our family to call or be at the Dave Ramsey show to talk to him and get to yell...

WE'RE DEBT FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

What all have I learned?
What methods work best for me?
How did I figure out what methods worked best for me?

I want to share what I've learned in posts throughout the next few weeks as well as link to people who have inspired and encouraged me, including Money Saving Mom and Mary Hunt at Debt Proof Living.  It's been a long journey and its not close to over, but I know I have learned and I can see the fruits starting to happen. 

More later...Love to you,
Kim :)