Start Your Frugal Journey With a Plan

If you are going to drive to an unknown place what do you do? Get a map? Ask for directions? Most likely you formulate a plan of how to get there. In the world of money, income, and spending this plan is called a budget.

Budget a scary word for many of us because when we read it we think “restriction” or “control.”
I would like to offer you an alternative way of looking at a budget. Think of your budget as a map to get you from financial point A to financial point B.

I get paid today so I am at point A. I have bills to pay and groceries to buy which leaves me at Point B. Like a map.

Just like while driving I have many options on how to get from one point to another. I have control over where I go and how I get there. By making a plan, a budget, for my income, savings and expenses, I am not letting that plan control me, but rather I am making the plan to control my money!

My budget is helping me, not controlling or hurting me.

To start making a realistic budget it is best to track all of your income and spending for a month or two. Write down all of your income, and write down every cent you spend and what you spent it on. This can be a very eye-opening experience. You might be amazed as how much money you spend on the things that are not important to you.