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Why Budget?

Nov 18 Uncategorized

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I was not paid to write this post. I received a product to review, and I will only review products that could benefit my readers. The opinions in this post are completely my own based on my experience.


Budgeting keeps you on track with your money and helps you give every dollar a much needed job. If you are consistent with a budget, it can lead you to financial freedom.

© Subbotina Anna / Dollar Photo Club

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (I’ve put a * by any link that is an affiliate link). If you click on one of these links and you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission from your purchase. Thank you for supporting Humble in a Heartbeat!

I’ve mentioned before that I used to thoroughly enjoy budgeting like a monkey thoroughly enjoys bananas or a pilot thoroughly enjoys flying planes. You get the picture. But this hectic year has put that flame right out. I was once on fire, and then I started tip-toeing on hot coals.

Things have changed a lot since I wrote about my struggles as the family finance manager back in August.

For one thing, I’ve resolved to do so much better and make the necessary changes to get back on track with our budget.

For another thing, I had the opportunity to receive a copy of Jessi Fearon’s (The Budget Mama) workbook, Build a Budget that Works*, and review it.

This workbook motivated me to actually keep track of when bills are due with the Bill Payment Checklist included, along with a number of other extremely helpful (and cute!) worksheets at the back of the ebook. I especially loved that she covered budgeting for yearly expenses. These are the expenses that can kill a really great budget instantly. Examples are car insurance (usually paid every 6 months) and medical expenses (sporadic).

I believe that everybody – yes, everybody – needs a budget. I don’t care if you earn $150K per year and have plenty of disposable income every month. I don’t care if you earn $8 per hour and have trouble paying your bills. A budget can keep anybody with an income and/or expenses in line. It is important to boss your money around and give it a job. That’s why I like to call myself the family finance “manager.” I am in charge of bossing our family’s money around and making it do what we want it to do.

So why does one need a budget? Show your money who’s boss or:

You Will Build Up a Nice Pile of Debt

I’ve mentioned in a previous post that one thing can lead to another until you are so deep in debt you can barely breath. A budget will prevent debt from happening, because you only spend as much as you make, and never more.

If you are currently in debt, don’t get down on yourself. You can dig yourself out. You might feel trapped while you are paying off debt, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And that is financial freedom.

Your Dollars Will Fly Away

Every single dollar you earn needs to be given a job.  It should never sit in limbo, or you are more likely to just spend it frivolously. When you spend all the money before making sure you have enough to cover current expenses, you start living paycheck to paycheck. There is real power behind a budget that bosses money around. If your money isn’t doing its job, you didn’t manage it well enough.

If you are struggling to find wiggle room in your budget, get a side job or spend less on groceries or clothes. I’ve got plenty of ideas for making money and saving money for you on my Pinterest board, Money Madness.

Your Dreams Won’t Be Realized

By giving each dollar a job, you make it possible to actually have leftover money each month so you can save it for later. There are several things you should save for, including: emergencies, travel, cars, and retirement. Imagine the relief you will have when you have an emergency medical issue that you can pay for with money you have saved.

In the end, if you can get out of debt, take care of current expenses, and save for a rainy day, you will be able to achieve financial freedom and financial success.

In other words, budgeting puts you closer to your financial goals so you can live your dreams.

Without a budget, it would be impossible to know the state of your financial affairs whether in the past (debt), present (current income and expenses), or future (savings and investments).

The Giveaway (over)

You could buy Jessi’s workbook for $2.99, but I have a better idea. Enter the giveaway below and you could get Build a Budget that Works* for free! This is your chance to step up your own game as the family finance manager. You can do better, and I know you will with this awesome workbook! Or maybe you don’t even have a budget, but you want one and you don’t know where to start. Well, this is the workbook for you.

Oh, and just for good measure, I’m throwing in a $25 Shutterfly gift card, which would be great for making your own special Christmas gifts. I want a gift card myself! You know how much I love photo editing! Making photo gifts is something else that I just love to do for Christmas.

Enter for your chance to win the free workbook, Build a Budget that Works, as well as a $25 gift card for Shutterfly! Ends 11/24By the way, the workbook is being provided by Jessi Fearon and I will be providing the gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions: Giveaway ends November 24th at 11:59 PM EST. Open to Residents of the US only.  Prizes will be delivered electronically, through email.  Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that Humble in a Heartbeat is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you.  The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.  Facebook and Twitter are in no way associated with this giveaway.  By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone.  I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.
Linked to: Frugal Friday and Thrifty Thursday
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Charlee Flaminio
Charlee Flaminio
I'm a mom of 3 on a journey to feed my family nourishing foods. Personally, I believe you can cook healthy food and still have time for your loved ones.
Charlee Flaminio
Latest posts by Charlee Flaminio (see all)
  • 5 Recommended Ways to Use Up a Whole Chicken for 0 Food Waste - 03.25.23
  • The Most Important List You Need for Quick and Easy Meals - 03.26.22
  • Quick and Easy Weeknight Meal: Kielbasa and Cabbage - 01.29.22

By Charlee Flaminio on Nov 18

Comments

  1. Natalie says

    11.18.14 at 9:51 am

    I am definitely a saver! I hate to spend money.

    Reply
  2. monacpete says

    11.18.14 at 11:15 am

    I am a saver for sure

    Reply
  3. Jessica B. says

    11.18.14 at 6:17 pm

    I’m a saver. jj250@aol.com

    Reply
  4. Jessie Frasier Hockett says

    11.18.14 at 11:22 pm

    Yay!!

    Reply
  5. Amanda Kolb says

    11.19.14 at 7:15 am

    It’s a constant battle in my head between spending and saving. Usually my practicality wins over my impulsiveness, but if you throw my husband into that argument, then practicality doesn’t stand a chance. That is why I am our “finance manager”. I do need something, though, to remind me about bills. Right now, due dates just sort of float around in my head, and I’m afraid one day I will run out of room up there and something won’t get paid 😉 I love reading your finance and budgeting articles Charlee, keep up the great work!

    Reply
    • Charlee Anne says

      11.20.14 at 2:28 pm

      Wait until you have kids! I can’t even remember what day it is anymore! Thank you, sincerely, Amanda, for reading my posts and letting me know that you like them 🙂

      Reply
  6. The Charming Farmer says

    11.19.14 at 11:13 am

    I’m firmly in the spending category but I most def not on myself! I love to spend money on other people or my animals.

    Reply
    • Charlee Anne says

      11.20.14 at 2:29 pm

      I bet your friends/family and pets just love you!

      Reply
  7. olinkast says

    11.19.14 at 1:29 pm

    i am a spender, i guess. not big stuff, but unplanned shopping happening all the time 😀

    Reply
    • Charlee Anne says

      11.20.14 at 2:29 pm

      That’s just like my mom. She would go shopping every day if my dad let her!

      Reply
  8. Ana Lynn Amelio says

    11.20.14 at 2:46 am

    You already know I budget even though I keep it simple. I will have to be even more careful now that we will be moving into our own place but I am determined to make it work.

    Reply
    • Charlee Anne says

      11.22.14 at 1:23 pm

      I’m excited for this change for you guys. I really hope everything works out!

      Reply
  9. MeandMySoldierMan says

    11.21.14 at 10:35 am

    I guess I need to be honest and admit I’m a spender. Our budget has a category for “personal spending” (fun money) but instead of setting some aside and banking for a big purchase, I usually burn through it all each month. :/

    Reply
    • Charlee Anne says

      11.22.14 at 1:31 pm

      Isn’t it great to get that off your chest? 😉 I really don’t think you can say one is better than the other, but it is definitely good for a spender to limit themselves and for a saver to spend from time to time.

      Reply
  10. Charlee Anne says

    11.22.14 at 1:48 pm

    Thank you, Lindsey! I’m glad you find it 🙂

    Reply
  11. Paula Mead says

    11.23.14 at 11:13 am

    A spender trying to save!

    Reply
  12. liz l says

    11.24.14 at 7:06 pm

    I am a spender

    Reply
  13. Chels says

    11.26.14 at 5:06 pm

    I hate budgeting! Frowny face that I missed the giveaway! I saw it when you posted and told myself I’d come back later!

    Reply
  14. R.F. Dietz says

    12.03.14 at 3:04 pm

    DANG! I hate missing a good giveaway! But congrats Meagan B!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Striking Similarities Between Parenting and Finances - Humble in a Heartbeat says:
    01.16.15 at 6:00 am

    […] If you don’t have a budget, you NEED one. Telling your dollars what to do and giving them a job every month in your budget is a vital first step to reaching financial […]

    Reply
  2. No More Living Paycheck to Paycheck! You Can Do Better Than That! - Humble in a Heartbeat says:
    06.22.15 at 6:55 am

    […] first, and probably most important, step to get out of a financial rut is to budget. It’s only as boring as you make it. Budgeting can be fun if you think of it as a […]

    Reply
  3. How to Make the Most of Bonus Money - Humble in a Heartbeat says:
    06.29.15 at 6:31 am

    […] money in your emergency fund or start saving towards a vacation, you will be able to reach your financial goals a bit faster this […]

    Reply

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