The Debt Dance

Budgeting is an evil word for most of us.

It renders images of deprivation, of telling ourselves we “can’t have that,” “we can’t do this,” “we can’t afford that.”

Listen to the inner messages those statements are making: “we’re poor, we’re a loser, we’re broke, we failed, life is filled with doom and gloom, do not pass go, do not collect $200…”

How long will it be before we’re back at the mall or going out to eat to rub healing salve on these

harmful statements?

I recently read a favorite blog of mine and the readers were talking about setting a strict budget and sticking to it. I was afraid I was going to get my knuckles rapped.

We all know that for most of us that just won’t work.

So, what do we do?

First pay for those items that must get paid: mortgage, insurance, charity, utilities, medical, minimum loan payments, etc.

Set your priority (e.g.paying an extra $300 on a credit card this month AND joining a professional group or buying some equipment related to your dream, e.g. a writer’s association, a business association, a travel group, or buy a tablesaw, etc.)

Pay for that.

And then have a FLEXIBLE budget.

“I have $400 for everything else. Hmmm. I really want (fill in the blank.) If I just have a couple of pots of soup for the week and pack my lunches, I can afford it!”

That sounds like a whole lot more fun to me than we “can’t have that,” “we can’t do this,” “we can’t afford that.” And it sounds like something I could live with! Besides, I like soup.

NOW HERE’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES:

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?””

Winnie the Pooh

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