Who's the Boss?

I heard this really great call on the Dave Ramsey Radio show recently and it kind of stuck with me. This guy calls in and starts talking about his budget and how he's just not feeling comfortable with how he's budgeting is going. He's got no money really, for all the things he needs to pay for. That sounds like a lot of us, doesn't it? We're stretched so thin, how we can we make enough for all the things we need!

Well, Dave, in all his Dave Ramsey wisdom, says "Who's the boss here? Your budget or you? You tell your money what's going to happen and if your budget is so tight you can stretch anything more out of it, then you have an income problem."

When Chris and I were first beginning this Baby Step plan, our money was tight. We set the numbers so tight in our budget that we didn't have any spending money to do whatever we wanted with it. We slashed everything, down to the bare minimum, but we forgot about "Fun Money" because, really, there was no room in the budget for any fun.

Once we got a few debts out of the way with we incorporated our own personal pocket money back into the budget. It took a lot of work to get there, but if we didn't include some fun money in this budget Chris and I would've never stuck with the budget very long. I know we would've cheated on this agreement to budget and eventually, this idea of getting out of debt would've been tossed out the window just like all those other attempts at doing good in our lives, too. We would've failed, and you might too if you don't incorporate some a Pocket Money category in your budget.

See, I know what you're thinking now. You're saying, "Rosie, how can I have spending money when I can't even afford food every week?" I hear you, and I'll tell you exactly what Mr. Ramsey said. That means you have an income problem. Think outside the box! What can you do to make more money in order to enjoy your life a little more? What side gig will give you the most reward without the most effort? Delivering pizzas? Going to retirement homes and reading to people? Working an extra shift at your current job every week?

If you don't have any money in the budget for your own spending money, you're going to fail at this. This is a natural response to making a change in life. You have to still be able to have fun while you're making a radical about-face in your life.

I will tell you something really interesting. Our spending money is an equal amount. You know what the most awesome part is involving that money? We don't have to answer to anyone else about how we spend it. We don't record it anywhere. We take it out in cash and that's it. I can buy whatever I want for myself with my money (which usually means craft supplies). Chris can buy whatever he wants as well and doesn't have to answer to me for it. Sometimes we decide to save up for something bigger together or save for several months in a row for something really important for ourselves. We love that ability!

We relish that. We really feel a sense of freedom and that freedom means this budgeting thing is actually working. Do it, try it. Still stay within your means, but give yourself some "me" money and see how much it makes a difference for a couple of months start with $10 or $20 but stick to that number and don't feel guilty for whatever you decide to buy yourself.