Do you really push yourself? Yesterday's list of reminders may force someone to push themselves against the grain with their daily time-management alone.
(View this quick check off list here: http://flexandgetfit.blogspot.com/2011/06/reminders-for-week.html)
But are you one to challenge yourself to go beyond what you are comfortable with? Do you force yourself to stick to standards and limits? Or do you just do what you want, what feels good? Do you indulge yourself in anything and everything you want? Are you responsible?
Somewhere along the way, self-indulgence has been glamorized. What a shame, perhaps this mentality is why 65% of America is overweight and obese. Perhaps this is why there were more than 200,000 foreclosures in April of this year alone (this seems to be the monthly average). People were unwilling to stay within guidelines of their finances and overextended themselves.
I'm not here to point the finger, but to sober the general population to the idea that people are just not pushing themselves hard enough in areas that are affecting their personal lives...and has had a negative effect on our economy as well.
You ask, "how does me being overweight affect the U.S. economy?" Google it. Think about all the people who are receiving public medical aid for conditions that are TOTALLY preventable through diet and exercise? Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Now, we have 33% of American children who are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity is on the rise, only to be followed by a rise in childhood cases of diabetes. AND IT'S ALL PREVENTABLE!!! (Stay with me...)
Here's the solution, it's kinda a no-brainer - PUSH YOURSELF TO BE YOUR BEST! Period. Make yourself get up every morning and exercise. I don't care if it's a dvd program, a trip to the gym, a 30 min. walk around your neighborhood, a bike ride on the bike trail or jog....JUST GET MOVING! It will also take you pushing yourself to have SELF-CONTROL and tell yourself 'no' when it comes to things that are not healthy.
I am passionate about this stuff because I believe that we have gotten lazy about the things that impact our homes. Overeating, overspending, overcommitting, over - you name it! I want you to want more for yourself & I want to see you push yourself to get there, to achieve it!
I laid awake at 1 in the morning thinking about this...and I have to get it off my chest today. I hope you hear my heart: I want MORE FOR YOU! Let me know if I can help.
Showing posts with label avoid arguments over money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label avoid arguments over money. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Budgeting Revisited!
I got some amazing feedback from some folks re: my post on PayDay = Budget Day. Well, it's nearing another pay day for us, time to bust out the calculator. But I thought I would check in to see how many of you have either gotten your written budget done or how many got the book of Dave Ramsey's ("Total Money Makeover")?
This stuff will change your life. Maybe before you're comfortable with writing out a budget, you need to face why you don't want to do it. I think that before I was on a 'written budget' I did okay w/ the money. However, I was uncomfortable with the thought of that immediate/microscropic accountability I thought I was going to be under with my husband. But, my assumption of what it would be like didn't happen.
I observed something this week in conversation with a friend, she feels like living on a budget makes her feel 'broke'. And she is not broke by any means. And so maybe for some, the word budget is controlling, takes away power, brings back memories of when you were broke....but a budget really gives you so much.
The end result of a budget will leave you with money to save, put toward retirement, pay off a big debt. That's sounds great, right? A budget will give boundaries for us to be good stewards of our money, that's great right? We will have to make wiser decisions at Target and we may have to decline a few lunches 'out'. But for some, this will ultimately please our spouses by having better spending habits and more money in the bank - WIN-WIN! And if you're single, more money in the bank = more security. That's what I always wanted when I was flying solo!
Is it difficult to give our money boundaries because we want everything we see? Should we get everything we see? We don't do that with our kids. We don't receive everything from the heavens above, so why should we satisfy our hunger for 'instant gratification' just because we have the cash?
Yesterday, I was at the store, and I need a clock. I want a chrome, shiny chrome one. I saw one that was kinda like what I wanted...but told myself, "no, I'll wait 'til pay day and put it in the budget". I realize that when it comes to stuff on the walls, an upgrade in clothes/shoes/purse/accessories, or toys/stuff for my kids - then they can wait until I budget it!
Maybe we can lasso in our impulsiveness by implementing a budget. I'm coming to an obvious conclusion here...managing/following a budget builds character. It creates humility (when you tell yourself or others no), it creates contentment (no, I don't need a 4th pair of black sandals), it creates self-control (who cares if this is on sale - I DON'T NEED IT!) Read my post on the 'power of telling yourself no'. Try it, you might grow. ;)
A written budget will be good. Now, a budget does not mean that you can't ever buy any new clothes, plan for a bbq, go out of town. A budget is the place that you write in the dollar amount you will spend on that item/catagory. And be realistic. Don't budget $40 to go Pismo (that's just gas)...unless that's all you have and you pack a lunch to eat for free, then that's brilliant & have fun. But plan to spend another $20 on fish & chips if you have it. Really, you don't need a lot of money to have fun on (that's another day's post...hmmm). But put in a responsible amount into a catagory that you frequently spend in. You can live - when you are on a budget.
Try it. You will find that you have more money than you thought. You may even have some extra to give to the local Rescue Mission, charity. Check out PayDay = Budget Day Post. That's the one that really got people thinking. Email me at jennifermorin@beachbodycoach.com if you have trouble finding my list of catagories in original blog I refer to. Have fun budgeting!!!!
This stuff will change your life. Maybe before you're comfortable with writing out a budget, you need to face why you don't want to do it. I think that before I was on a 'written budget' I did okay w/ the money. However, I was uncomfortable with the thought of that immediate/microscropic accountability I thought I was going to be under with my husband. But, my assumption of what it would be like didn't happen.
I observed something this week in conversation with a friend, she feels like living on a budget makes her feel 'broke'. And she is not broke by any means. And so maybe for some, the word budget is controlling, takes away power, brings back memories of when you were broke....but a budget really gives you so much.
The end result of a budget will leave you with money to save, put toward retirement, pay off a big debt. That's sounds great, right? A budget will give boundaries for us to be good stewards of our money, that's great right? We will have to make wiser decisions at Target and we may have to decline a few lunches 'out'. But for some, this will ultimately please our spouses by having better spending habits and more money in the bank - WIN-WIN! And if you're single, more money in the bank = more security. That's what I always wanted when I was flying solo!
Is it difficult to give our money boundaries because we want everything we see? Should we get everything we see? We don't do that with our kids. We don't receive everything from the heavens above, so why should we satisfy our hunger for 'instant gratification' just because we have the cash?
Yesterday, I was at the store, and I need a clock. I want a chrome, shiny chrome one. I saw one that was kinda like what I wanted...but told myself, "no, I'll wait 'til pay day and put it in the budget". I realize that when it comes to stuff on the walls, an upgrade in clothes/shoes/purse/accessories, or toys/stuff for my kids - then they can wait until I budget it!
Maybe we can lasso in our impulsiveness by implementing a budget. I'm coming to an obvious conclusion here...managing/following a budget builds character. It creates humility (when you tell yourself or others no), it creates contentment (no, I don't need a 4th pair of black sandals), it creates self-control (who cares if this is on sale - I DON'T NEED IT!) Read my post on the 'power of telling yourself no'. Try it, you might grow. ;)
A written budget will be good. Now, a budget does not mean that you can't ever buy any new clothes, plan for a bbq, go out of town. A budget is the place that you write in the dollar amount you will spend on that item/catagory. And be realistic. Don't budget $40 to go Pismo (that's just gas)...unless that's all you have and you pack a lunch to eat for free, then that's brilliant & have fun. But plan to spend another $20 on fish & chips if you have it. Really, you don't need a lot of money to have fun on (that's another day's post...hmmm). But put in a responsible amount into a catagory that you frequently spend in. You can live - when you are on a budget.
Try it. You will find that you have more money than you thought. You may even have some extra to give to the local Rescue Mission, charity. Check out PayDay = Budget Day Post. That's the one that really got people thinking. Email me at jennifermorin@beachbodycoach.com if you have trouble finding my list of catagories in original blog I refer to. Have fun budgeting!!!!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Pay Day = Budget Day
Yes, a budget! What is that? Do you have one? We do. We got it from a powerful/life-changing book and APPLIED IT! The book is: Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. (You can get a copy for $10 @ www.daveramsey.com). (Young people get this book, you need it now, not later. Retirement is a real thing to plan 40 years in advance for!!!)
Here's the routine for our pay day here in our home: I get my husband's payroll check, STRAIGHT to the bank, deposit it, WITHOUT cashback at this point. Next, I go home, and double check my budget sheet that I created a couple days prior to pay day (just in case something has come up).
Here's what I do to prep for my budget:
Step 1: Gather up all bills from my special "Current Bills Due" folder at my desk.
Step 2: Fill in the dollar amounts in these catagories:
First are the things we pay by check:
The beauty of a budget is that you can start a catagory for an expense you know is coming in a month or two. Like this month, I'm saving for my suburban tags for July. I haven't received the bill, but I quickly look at my tags to see that they expire in July. So, I plan. This way a bill that is expected, is NOT a financial emergency.
I add up all the expenses, minus it from the income to confirm that I have enough. I always know what we have left over after all our needs are filled in. What to do w/ this money? Throw it at the debt, save for something you're going to need like: car, appliances, furniture. Why finance those things, when you can save & pay cash, get a better deal because people make deals for cash...and save yourself a ton on interest right? (GET THE BOOK & READ IT!)
So the budget sheet is filled in & the check is in the bank.
Step 3: Balance checkbook before I even begin paying out.
Step 4: Write out/pay bills.
Step 5: Make 'cash item list'.
Step 6: Go to bank for cash.
Step 7: Go shopping with my lists for Target/Walmart, Costco, etc!
Step 8: STICK TO THE LISTS! :)
This is how we live. Pretty simple & basic math. You don't need a BS in Accounting to live on a budget.
Now the key is to NOT spend all my grocery money at the store the first day I get paid so that in a week when we need fresh produce, I have CASH for that. There will be times that there's a little miscalculation in what I need, but I try so hard to NOT use my debit card.
The philosophy behind using the card is 'it's unlimited'. Oh, I have the extra $50 in the bank so I can buy this - thing I absolutely don't need & will only use/wear once.
If you do this budget, you will find that you DO have the money you need for the month typically. You tell your kids/employees what to do, why not tell your money where to go & what to do so that you control your spending!
I might point out that I am strategic w/ my bill paying too. Say we get paid the 1st, so the bills due from the 9th thru the 23rd, I pay the first week of the month. The bills due from the 23rd to the 8th of the next month, I pay at our mid-month pay day. This way my bills are ON TIME. The wonder of this is, I only sit down & balance my checkbook 2X/mo., always aware of what I have - this avoids ISF fees, right? And I only pay my bills 2X a month, never wondering when a bill is coming in or if I'll have enough. This provides me peace of mind, and more time w/ my kids. I avoid: paying as I go, trying to always find time every couple days to sit alone & scream at the kids as I try to crunch number to make sure some money is there for this one bill, right? Who wants to do that 2-3 times per week? This budget system keeps my time managed better too. I know what days are pay days, so I build time into my schedule to do all this in advanced.
This is how we live and we live pretty stress-free over finances. We know we make enough to live on. Now, if we are broke & in a bind, who's responsible? It's easy to figure out in a quick discussion :) So I try my hardest to tell myself & KIDS "NO" so that we can have some peace & liberty in our lives.
Here's the routine for our pay day here in our home: I get my husband's payroll check, STRAIGHT to the bank, deposit it, WITHOUT cashback at this point. Next, I go home, and double check my budget sheet that I created a couple days prior to pay day (just in case something has come up).
Here's what I do to prep for my budget:
Step 1: Gather up all bills from my special "Current Bills Due" folder at my desk.
Step 2: Fill in the dollar amounts in these catagories:
First are the things we pay by check:
- TBBC (money insurance, first right?...for some who don't know what this is: tithe)
- Additional Giving
- Life Insurance
- Mortgage pmt.
- PG&E
- Gas Co.
- Water Co.
- ATT
- Gardener
- Car Insurance
- Gym fees
- Debt (which we've wiped 1/2 to 2/3 out in the last couple years by sticking to a budget)
- Shakeology/BB Biz (now paying for itself, I may add)
- Gas (a certain amt. for me/a certain amt. for husband)
- Groceries
- Toiletries
- Jacob's needs
- Daniel's meds/needs
- "Allowance for husband"
- Jen's phone (I seriously live on a pay-as-you-go phone. I use my home phone 99% of the time & save)
The beauty of a budget is that you can start a catagory for an expense you know is coming in a month or two. Like this month, I'm saving for my suburban tags for July. I haven't received the bill, but I quickly look at my tags to see that they expire in July. So, I plan. This way a bill that is expected, is NOT a financial emergency.
I add up all the expenses, minus it from the income to confirm that I have enough. I always know what we have left over after all our needs are filled in. What to do w/ this money? Throw it at the debt, save for something you're going to need like: car, appliances, furniture. Why finance those things, when you can save & pay cash, get a better deal because people make deals for cash...and save yourself a ton on interest right? (GET THE BOOK & READ IT!)
So the budget sheet is filled in & the check is in the bank.
Step 3: Balance checkbook before I even begin paying out.
Step 4: Write out/pay bills.
Step 5: Make 'cash item list'.
Step 6: Go to bank for cash.
Step 7: Go shopping with my lists for Target/Walmart, Costco, etc!
Step 8: STICK TO THE LISTS! :)
This is how we live. Pretty simple & basic math. You don't need a BS in Accounting to live on a budget.
Now the key is to NOT spend all my grocery money at the store the first day I get paid so that in a week when we need fresh produce, I have CASH for that. There will be times that there's a little miscalculation in what I need, but I try so hard to NOT use my debit card.
The philosophy behind using the card is 'it's unlimited'. Oh, I have the extra $50 in the bank so I can buy this - thing I absolutely don't need & will only use/wear once.
If you do this budget, you will find that you DO have the money you need for the month typically. You tell your kids/employees what to do, why not tell your money where to go & what to do so that you control your spending!
I might point out that I am strategic w/ my bill paying too. Say we get paid the 1st, so the bills due from the 9th thru the 23rd, I pay the first week of the month. The bills due from the 23rd to the 8th of the next month, I pay at our mid-month pay day. This way my bills are ON TIME. The wonder of this is, I only sit down & balance my checkbook 2X/mo., always aware of what I have - this avoids ISF fees, right? And I only pay my bills 2X a month, never wondering when a bill is coming in or if I'll have enough. This provides me peace of mind, and more time w/ my kids. I avoid: paying as I go, trying to always find time every couple days to sit alone & scream at the kids as I try to crunch number to make sure some money is there for this one bill, right? Who wants to do that 2-3 times per week? This budget system keeps my time managed better too. I know what days are pay days, so I build time into my schedule to do all this in advanced.
This is how we live and we live pretty stress-free over finances. We know we make enough to live on. Now, if we are broke & in a bind, who's responsible? It's easy to figure out in a quick discussion :) So I try my hardest to tell myself & KIDS "NO" so that we can have some peace & liberty in our lives.
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