Back to the Basics: Budgeting.

Last night after work one of my sweet friend came over for breakfast for dinner, a workout, and a pow wow about budgeting.  One of the hardest lessons I had to learn as a young adult out on my own was managing my money.  My parents were prime examples of budgeting done well but managing my own money on my first 'real' income (I've been working since I was 15, but I hadn't actually supported myself).  One of my girlfriends just got her first full-time job recently and I agreed to have a sit down with her to help her do it better than I did, my first go around.

Don't worry, I also very much encouraged her to take a one day Dave Ramsey class my church is offering in July.  I'm not confident enough in my own abilities to be the only resource anyone uses on money. I'm still learning myself, naturally.

As I prepared for this pow wow, going back over the basics inspired me to tighten up my own budget.  I've been living on a budget for three years now, but budgeting is a little like doing through your closet.  You could go through and throw out everything that doesn't fit or look good, and then go through it again and find 5 more.  It's just how it goes.  So as I went back over the basics I realized my budget had some leaks as well. I wasn't making my money work as hard for me as I could.

And so, I've tightened it up and taken a few deep breaths to keep from panicking.  It seems I've been doing a lot of this as I've been addressing the basics in most categories of my life.  It's all kind of connected, isn't it? It all comes back to discipline.  As I've tightened up my schedule, my workout routine, my diet, my budget, and my reading goals for the year I'm reminded of the value of revisiting the basics in your life.

If it's been a while since you went back over your goals and checked yourself (preferably with a friend) to see if your habits are working towards those goals, do it.  You may find that, like your closet, there's still some extra weight in there.  This is me encouragement to keep challenging yourself and pushing yourself to meet your goals and make sure you take the time to celebrate each of them.  Rest assured, I'll be celebrating when I pay cash for my next car and pay off my house someday.  Maybe sooner rather than later.

Love,

B

Weekly Check In's and Facing Fears.

As you've noticed by now the blog has taken on the new name of 'Oh the Places You'll Go'. As I set off on new goals, new journeys, new opportunities, and new challenges I've been really challenged to realize that I've got some pretty big fears to face in the next 16 months. The next 16 months are what I'm calling 'phase one' of my new life plan and I can't totally explain that but suffice to say it's going to be a year of living almost completely outside of my comfort zone.

I posted to facebook Monday morning the following quote:

Your greatest regret at the end of your life will be the lions you didn't chase. You will look back longingly on risks not taken, opportunities not seized, and dreams not pursued. Stop running away from what scares you most and start chasing the God-ordained opportunities that cross your path. - Mark Batterson, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

I chose my sweet friend, Auburn, as my accountability for 'phase one' because she's in a similar stage of life herself. She's the person I can talk about all the things you're never supposed to talk about...like just how much money you make, have, save, and spend. Growing up neither of us came from families that talked in length about money specifics so I think this has been a bit of an adjustment for both of us but if you're going to make lofty goals, you need accountability, right? Aubs and I took Dave Ramsey's course 'Financial Peace University' together (actually, I'd taken it and when I taught it I made her be in my group) and we know the value of laying it all on the line with someone.

We've started a weekly 'check in' e-mail to chart the progress we're making on several goals (many of them right now related to living on a budget and saving for some future goals). There are about a million things I love about my friendship with Aubs but I'll tell you what - she is one of the msot encouraging people I've ever been blessed enough to be friends with. She has been my biggest cheerleader these past 2 years in everything from my weight loss to my finances to my relationships to tough conversations with family members or friends. She really knows me and amazingly, still thinks I'm great. I continue to be blown away with how blessed I am to have her.

If you're in a 'phase one' of some big plans here's my advice - celebrate your victories. Every week Aubs and I take a time out to celebrate all the things we've done right that week to get to where we want to be. That doesn't mean I don't occasionally have to confess I cheated on my budget or skipped a workout BUT it does mean that every week I get to feel good about what I got right, even if I have to own up to a few screw ups too. Celebrate it. Life's tough and it takes hard choices and sometimes painful sacrifices to get ahead - so don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back regularly so you'll be encouraged to stick with it!

I put my big girl pants on this weekend and got a few things done I'd been leaving on the back burner. You know how that is. I sat down and really looked over my benefits and made some decisions about my dental insurance, my FSA account, mailed in some documents to my investment account peeps, changed over my card numbers for my car insurance, etc. Then I took my big girl pants back off, sat down and watched the Proposal with Ryan Reynold. Mmm, that was a reward for wading through all that adult crap.

Time management.

If you're a reader than inevitably you hear people say regularly, 'Oh, I wish I could read but I just never have the time'.  The truth is that there are 24 hours in all of our days, how we use them is up to us.  If you find yourself saying that you wish you had the time for an activity, hobby, sport, or educational experience - well, then perhaps you should reevaluate how you could.  

An equally popular comment is that 'people have time for what the value'.  Isn't this true?  You may think you're too busy to read or workout but somehow you manage to eat 5 times a day.  Hmm.  You don't have time to cook or clean but amazingly you spend an hour and a half per day doing your hair and makeup.  None of these things are bad.  I just feel it's important to call a spade a spade.  What I don't do, is a result of a lack of priority in my life.

Many of us have commitment issues.  We'd love to take a class, join a group, maybe volunteer?  But EVERY week seems so daunting and permanent; we shrink back in fear.  Giving in the to the 'what if' game we convince ourselves that we can't possibly commit to one more thing!  Is this starting to hit home for you?  This is the land I've lived in friends...do not feel alone.

I recently stepped down from a commitment that interfered with my new work schedule.  With traveling for work now, Friday nights weren't feasible for me.  Work does trump other commitments to an extend in that at this point in my life I both need to work and love to work.  I'm fortunate to be in a place that I'm excited to be a part of.  However, that doesn't take away from the fact that I was disappointed at having to let go of another commitment.

Almost within the same stride I took on a new undertaking.  For those of you who kept up with my entries last week, you know that I started the Dave Ramsey course at my church.  Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University includes a several month long commitment, in my case on Thursday nights.  This gave me Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening commitments on top of work 5 days a week, traveling a weekend or 2 per month, and church Sundays.  That felt a little overwhelming in my head as I tried to work through whether or not to take the course.

Being financially responsible and more importantly free needed to be a priority in my life.  At 24 years old I'm in a place that many people twice my age would do nearly anything to be in - debt free.  Not being naive enough to believe that I can remain so without a plan, I knew that I needed to make time in my crazy life and schedule to learn.  Learn about saving, budgeting, investing, etc.  So, I signed on and commitment both to myself and my classmates to be there every week I possibly can.

When you make a commitment it's important to stick with it!  Too often we realize something is 'a good idea' but we can't quite be committed to following through.  Am I right?  To gain from the experience we have to really BE there.  In mind, body, and spirit.  Otherwise, we might as well stay home and watch TV.

There's not any one perfect schedule you can map out for your life that will keep you perfectly balanced.  However, it is important to evaluate your commitments from time-to-time to see if your getting the results you want in life.  This includes me.  Some of my commitments to date are book club, small group, financial peace university, work, church, book reviewing, and an accountability partner.  Now, one area I'm still struggling with is working out.  I value the health (and mental stability) benefits of getting my walk/jog in at least in theory...BUT I tend to make time excuses where this is concerned.  I already get up at 6am...5am just seems daunting.  I don't get home til 9pm some nights and by then I'm tired (and a little scared to wander off alone).  So, knowing like I do that we all have the same amount of hours in a day...how am I going to squeeze it in or what needs to give?  That is the question.

You make time for what you want to do.  So perhaps the questions you need to ask yourself are: does what I want right now lead to the future I want later?  What do I say I want to do but don't make time for?  What needs to give in my schedule?  What do I need to move up on the priority list? And if you anything like me...where do I start?

Baby steps. : ]

Love,

B