organize my wallet

(Whoopsies I forgot to post this last week like I said I would.)

I hate budgets.

I was dreading that Saturday afternoon--the one that had "make budget" filled in on the calendar. 

Ugh.  

Every other time we have attempted any kind of budgeting, I wind up feeling like we have zero money and that we are going to go broke at any second and I feel CONSUMED by thinking about money. 

Did I mention I hate budgets?

But we knew we had to do it. I have been reading Organized Simplicity--a cute little book about living a simple life by a cute little lady who is a mom and really does attempt to simplify her life as a whole. She wrote a chapter in the book about money, which I had planned to skip, but then found myself reading it without realizing what I was doing. I have heard a thousand times that budgeting will "free you" from financial burden, that getting out of debt is the key to daily happiness, yadda yadda yadda. I never bought it before, but Tsh convinced me otherwise. (How do I pronounce that name? In my head I say "Tish." Do you think that's ok?)

Long story short (if that is even possible at this point): we made a budget. In the process of looking at our money, we realized we were spending who knows how much on needless junk, and realized that if we stopped buying needless junk, then we could pay off Jon's school loan this year. We had never even considered that as an option. (I should add that not only would this require not buying junk, but also scrimping and saving in other areas as well.)

Now our budget is like a game. How much money can we save this month? How much can we put into his loan and beat ourselves at our own goal? Oooh beating ourselves means that we get to win. Maybe I have not mentioned to you before that I like winning. I probably like winning more than I hate budgets. So this time around, the budget and I are friends. 

The Buck budget is not perfect, let me assure you. There will be considerable tweaking involved these next couple months. For example, we made no allowance for the fact that our son turns one this month and we should probably have a party and buy him a gift. Also, we spend a lot of time meeting others for coffee or lunch, but put no money aside for these occurances. Ha--I've been taking LOTS of walks with friends this past week. We will probably have to change things up a bit in June. 

But, in the end, I think they're right. Crikey! I do feel free-er from financial burden! I think that getting out of debt will make me happier! I can't wait to reach our goal and hope that we can do it ahead of schedule!

Well, I'm off for a walk.

Happy Wednesday to you!