Is budgeting a scarey word for you?

**homesteadmamma** · 01-08-2006, 09:29 PM

Not at all. I love working on a budget. I love to re-evaluate every so often and see how far we've come.

**mom2matty** · 01-08-2006, 10:04 PM

I love to budget and have a great time putting it all together!!

**owiebrain** · 01-09-2006, 12:34 AM

I love budgeting!

**mizniteowl** · 01-09-2006, 12:37 AM

I love budgeting as well. I had a great time putting together my budget sheets the other day

**ACEHearts** · 01-09-2006, 12:43 AM

I love our budget. It makes me realize how much $ we were waisting, and that i really don't have to worry about going back to work if I do things right for the next few months.

It's been very freeing!

Cindy

**bamamomto4** · 01-09-2006, 12:52 AM

Not so much scarey,but I hate to budget. I have to,so I do,but I dont like it

I use to be better at it....wish I could get back to that.

**mizniteowl** · 01-09-2006, 01:37 AM

I know what you mean Cindy. After doing the budget the way I did, it's kind of heartbreaking to realize we could have been out of debt years ago! Oh well...we're on our way now.

**Michele Annette** · 01-09-2006, 10:35 AM

No, NOT budgeting is super scary to me. I have to know where all my money is going!

**Michelle** · 01-09-2006, 11:04 AM

Not scary at all. I don't really enjoy it, but it's a necessary evil.

**AmyBoz** · 01-09-2006, 11:35 AM

It's funny...I don't enjoy budgeting, but I love making spreadsheets and tracking spending, etc. I don't like to forecast, but I like to be in the present with my money work, like with Quicken or Microsoft Money.

**AGierald** · 01-09-2006, 11:49 AM

Im probably the worst wife in the world... i have no clue where our money goes... my husband makes the money, and he pays the bills with it as well... i dont know how much our bills are, i dont know what we spend money on (other than my ONE pack of cigarettes a week) and i have no idea how to make a budget... the whole concept terrifies me... maybe its because im young? i mean its not an excuse or anything, but maybe you get better at stuff like this as you get older? i dont know, but i admire all you women who are able, and DO create budgets for your family to stick to, I can't wait to learn from you...

**thrifty gal** · 01-09-2006, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by Michele Annette
No, NOT budgeting is super scary to me. I have to know where all my money is going!

ITA. I feel soo much better once I have my monthly budget in place. It's like a map, I guess. Without it I'm not going to get to the destination.

**ironmaiden** · 01-09-2006, 01:37 PM

I like the numbers.

When I was single and I'd made a budget, I'd feel so hemmed in cause it was like going on this lettuce and water diet, that I'd just blow it to be free!!!!

Then we went through the phase where - as long as there was money in the checkbook and savings, money going into the 401Ks, then life must be fine and therefore we don't need a budget.

Then we decided I'd stay home with my son - then 18 months old. I pulled out the bills and the last credit card bill, added it all up and decided that we couldn't afford for me to stay home. But I also realized that it couldn't make any sense as just looking at what DH makes, it would be embarassing to say we couldn't live on that. So it was time to look at where it was going.

Then being an overeducated SAHM in need of an outlet that wasn't the kids, I tackled our finances. I needed a goal, a mission!! And then I started making a game of it all and paying down our mortgage quicker, managing our 401Ks, and refinancing at the very bottom. I read books on managing money, saving money, managing a household.

It's the attitude that changed. Your Money or Your Life truly changed me.

Unfortunately, my hobby at the moment is stopping developers from building a shopping mall right near my house. And that's costing me money, but far cheaper than moving!!! So I spent $2 at the local coffee shop shmoozing with the woman whose husband is the moderator of the town meeting where this will be decided. It's her business that's on the line. And more money at the town grocery store talking with their management - their jobs and business on the line as well. Money on flyers and such. Actually in our budget this is under the line item : SAVE OUR HOUSE!!

**Lucky Star** · 01-09-2006, 11:26 PM

Even though I'm comfortable with doing the numbers, I used to feel uneasy about doing the budget. I've tried it a couple of times in the past, but it never lasted for longer than two months. But this time, I feel I finally got it right - we're in our sixth month and counting!!

What used to bother me, I suppose, is the feeling of being constrained somehow, of limiting my freedom. This all changed when I read The Total Money Makeover and discovered this website. Now I see budgeting as a ticket to my freedom. I have a goal, and the budget is my roadmap for reaching that goal. I could have never accomplished what I have so far without a budget.

I guess when you budget for budgeting sake, and the general notion of "saving money", it's harder to stick to. On the other hand, when you have a purpose - a goal - that your budget is helping you achieve, then the process itself becomes more meaningful and you get more engaged.

Like ironmaiden has already said, it's all about the attitude.