Financial Challenges Support Group
This community is for people who are struggling to meet financial obligations of any kind. Financial challenges include everything from the day-to-day challenges of making ends meet to managing credit card debt to bankruptcy. Get support from others who are going through similar obstacles on the road back to financial stability.
Aside from the obvious, I recently experienced one of the upsides a preparing and sticking to a budget.
A budget removes all the guilt of saying "NO" to a loved one's wants. Before my DH and I developed a budget, I always felt guilty about saying "no" when he wanted something that we couldn't afford. I didn't want to feel punishing or "mean", so I would reluctantly give my go-aheah (I am the keeper of the purse strings). That would lead to overdrafts and all kind of financial nastiness.
We were recently pushed between a rock and a very hard place. A budget became VITAL. We worked together to make a budget, discussed needs vs wants, what we could "sacrifice" in the name of more stable financial standing. This was the first time ever in our 10 year marriage that we were able to do that. (DH is disabled with depression and often gets overwhelmed when faced with financial problems - all this was heaped on my shoulders, and without help from him, I made bad financial decisions - more cc debt, payday loans, etc). I tended to insulate my DH from our situation for fear that it may worsen his depression.
But now, with a BUDGET, I can say "no" without guilt. Because WE decided what was in the budget and what was out. And both DH and I know what the priorities are. There is no more emotional BS tied to purchasing and spending. No more passive/aggressive behavior and guilting. It is wonderful. No more tension between us, we are on the same team. WONDERFUL.
A budget removes all the guilt of saying "NO" to a loved one's wants. Before my DH and I developed a budget, I always felt guilty about saying "no" when he wanted something that we couldn't afford. I didn't want to feel punishing or "mean", so I would reluctantly give my go-aheah (I am the keeper of the purse strings). That would lead to overdrafts and all kind of financial nastiness.
We were recently pushed between a rock and a very hard place. A budget became VITAL. We worked together to make a budget, discussed needs vs wants, what we could "sacrifice" in the name of more stable financial standing. This was the first time ever in our 10 year marriage that we were able to do that. (DH is disabled with depression and often gets overwhelmed when faced with financial problems - all this was heaped on my shoulders, and without help from him, I made bad financial decisions - more cc debt, payday loans, etc). I tended to insulate my DH from our situation for fear that it may worsen his depression.
But now, with a BUDGET, I can say "no" without guilt. Because WE decided what was in the budget and what was out. And both DH and I know what the priorities are. There is no more emotional BS tied to purchasing and spending. No more passive/aggressive behavior and guilting. It is wonderful. No more tension between us, we are on the same team. WONDERFUL.
I find that if I don't have a solid budget and check myself against it often, it's soo easy for the $$ to slip out of my hands. In the back of my mind, I know I need to save for insurance or a tax payment or something....but unless it's spelled out on paper and something I look at frequently I can easily conveniently forget those obligations. A budget keeps me accountable to myself!