This tool, that's absolutely free to draw up, empowers you to be IN CHARGE of your money. YOU get to tell it where to go, rather than it telling you, after the fact, what a forgettable daily coffee cost you.
Where did your money go last month? Write it down. I use an Excel spreadsheet. Every night, I record there what my husband and I spent that day.
We found we were spending the most sloppily in the area of food - my husband was eating out (conveniently but forgettably many work days) and we weren't meal planning, let alone reverse meal planning - Click here to find out how we used this method to slash over $1000 off our grocery budget each month!
Within 30 minutes of looking at your credit card and bank account statements, you should have at least a rough idea of where your money is going. The more time you spend, the clearer your vision will be on this.
This tool to know WHERE your money is going will guide you always! I call it a living budget, because our income changes, our expenses change (some months we've got kids in braces, some months we don't, etc.), so a budget is not a make-it-and-leave-it tool.
It's best to be adjusted to be personalized more at least each month. It will empower you to know how and where you can guilt free spend.
Does making a budget make you worry you'll be saying a whole lot of NO to fun, to spending, to enjoying life? It does NOT have to! It can be the tool that allows you GUILT FREE SPENDING.
Once you know what you need to make and save vs. spend, DREAM. Plan what you'd like to spend your money on once you're not paying off debt. Write those ideas down. When there are moments you need to say no to a want, and you're tired of saying no, look at that list. Remind yourself of what you want MORE.
What keeps me motivated and what keeps my husband motivated are slightly different. For him, it is providing for his family, retiring early, and leaving a legacy. For me, debt free living gives me what I feel is such a wonderful reward, not stressing about unexpected expenses that come up.
Additionally, the reason I find worth saying NO to what I want NOW, is because I want to say YES to what I want MORE - and for me, what I want more are unforgettable spending - like the memories made during beautiful, frugal, but FABULOUS family vacations. Last spring we went to Rome as a family of six, and it was one of the most remarkable times of my life.
You can get debt free! You can be IN CHARGE of your money! You can get free of debt slavery!
Click here for more GREAT ideas on how to save money today.
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