SISTER WISDOM

I just wrote a couple of articles on Planning a Budget and Planning a Family Budget; but it occurs to me that the budget planning isn’t really the difficult part. It’s the sticking-to-the-planned-budget that is difficult. What do you do when your $50/week grocery budget is gone and you have no meat in your freezer? What about if you spend your spending/household money over the weekend and then realize that you only have 10 diapers left for the week? I speak from experience… And here’s how I deal with those experiences.

• Don’t take it personally. The world, the supermarket, the economy, the gas prices, the empty refrigerator, and the neighbor’s new car are not about you and not meant to be a personal affront. This is part of life. We have ups and downs. We all like the ups better, but just being in a down time financially doesn’t mean that a) there is something fundamentally wrong with you or b) the universe is out to get you via your bank account. So don’t add a burden of guilt or the powerlessness of victimization to your budget. Deep breath, now. You can do it.

• Quit comparing. Other people will always have more stuff than you. Some other people will have less stuff than you. If you’re going to compare about the comfort level of your life and the frugality of your budget, then compare with third world countries and you’ll start feeling pretty darn rich. Don’t let the shiny new SUVs on the highway and the stuffed shopping bags exiting the mall via better-dressed soccer moms get you down. You don’t know the entirety of another person’s life. You don’t know who is in debt up to their eyeballs, who has a horrible marriage but lots of money, and who would trade anything (including their shiny car) for your simpler life. And yes, there are some people who are happy and rich. You may not be one of the happy AND rich, but you can be happy.

• Think about what you actually need, rather than what you just expect to have. A few mission trips to Honduras really opened my eyes about our material expectations. I’ve never been really into material things, or so I thought. Not much of a shopper, don’t care about shiny new stuff or well-known brands. But I have expectations about the stuff I should have. Then I got to know the Honduran women who live in two-room huts with their husbands and five children, who cook in one pan over and open fire, who have four shirts and two bras and three skirts and one pair of sandals as their entire wardrobe. I may not have everything I expect, but I almost always have everything that is really essential.

• Set priorities. If you are out of money for Groceries but you still have your Spending money, decide what is more important for you this week. You can be flexible. If you have enough food in the pantry and freezer to get you through the week, then avoid the grocery store. If you really can’t feed your family without purchasing some more food, use your Spending money. Do not use your credit card!

• Go vegetarian for a week. It’s the simplest way to reduce your food costs dramatically. If you go vegan for a week and eliminate dairy products as well as meat, you’ll save even more money. Plus you’ll stretch yourself creatively in the kitchen, and you might gain some healthy and frugal recipes.

• Sell stuff on Craigslist. Or find another way to sell: put together a quickie garage sale, take items into a resale or pawn shop. I know I have more stuff than I need, and selling it can be a great way to get a quick cash infusion.

• Stay at home. I think there’s probably a mathematical equation that fits here; something like your expected cash outlay increases by $0.25 for every mile you go away from home… It’s either gas or food or entertainment or oh-no-I-forgot-to-put-wipes-in-the-diaper-bag emergencies. Going out to places with stores and shops and opportunities to spend means that you’ll probably spend. Staying home helps you save.

• Get creative. You’re out of paper towels; cut up some old t-shirts and use them. Wash and reuse. You may never want to buy paper towels again. You’re out of rice; use pasta. You’re out of milk; drink water. You’re out of diapers; got any thick burp cloths? Do cloth diapers for a few days. You’re out of wipes; use soft cloths and warm water. You need a dress for that wedding on Saturday; borrow from your friend, sister, cousin. You’re out of gas; stay at home, take the bus, walk, ride your bike, or get a ride with a friend (offer to pick her up next week). Or don’t go. It’s okay to simplify.

• Borrow from a friend or family member, if all else fails. Avoid that credit card! If you have to have $20 for whatever, then borrow it from someone you’ll see often and feel obligated to repay quickly. A credit card is far too impersonal and it’s too easy to lose track of what is on there. Borrow the $20 and pay it back as soon as the next paycheck comes in.

• Figure out what happened. If you’re short on the cash you need, figure out how the shortage occurred. Did you make an extra purchase over the weekend or spend all your money on stuff you don’t need? Or is your budget simply inadequate for what you really need? It’s fine to adjust your budget; see how you can reduce your bills and tweak your expenses so you can work with the money you have.

Image Credits:

Frustrated Woman image courtesy of Evil Erin.

Hut image courtesy of Frames-of-Mind.

Money Burning image courtesy of purpleslog.