Money Monday!!

There is something about me that I'm sure most of you don't know.  I'm not good with authority.  Actually, I'm really really bad with authority.  That might be hard for some of you to believe because I'm a goody goody who doesn't break rules, but I do not like being told what to do, especially before I get a chance to do the right thing in the first place.

This dislike of authority isn't new, but we're beginning to recognize the depth of the problem.  When the kids returned to school, I needed to get up at a certain time.  I don't do alarm clocks.  Alarm clocks are authority so I resist them.   And Tony is afraid to wake me up in the morning.  Once I'm fully awake, I'm sweet as can be tolerable, but I take no responsiblity for what I say in that half awake/half asleep state.  We finally came up with the perfect solution.  We sleep with the room-darkening shades open.  Apparently, I don't see the Sun as an authority figure, and it pleasantly wakes me up at 6:18 every morning.  Perfect!  (Although, to be honest, I'm now resisting that, too.)

Why do I share this little character flaw with y'all?  What does this have to do with Money Monday?  Everything, because I love a budget.  Some of you think this is completely incompatible.  How can someone who has authority issues love budgets bossing them around?  The answer is quite simple.  My budget doesn't tell me what to do.  Stop looking at your budget as a boss telling you what to do without regards for your wants and feelings.  You create your budget.  You tell it how you are going to spend your money.

I see so many people discouraged because they hate budgetting.  They have the misconception that their budget is the enemy because it tells them "no."  I love those "nos" because my budget cares about me.  Those "nos" are because it knows!  It knows that I need the reminder to stay on track.  It knows that I don't want to have financial troubles.  It knows when I've spent more than I should, and it lets me know that I need to regroup.  My budget gives me permission to not worry about what others are going to think, because it knows what truly matters to me.  It isn't caught up with the excitement of the shopping trip or great "deals."  I created it, and it works for me.  It doesn't control me with fun-killing nos.  It reminds me who I really am- who I really want to be!

Christmas is 4 weeks and 6 days away.  That gives you 34 days to destroy your financial goals for this year and next. 34 days to spend yourself sleepless.  34 days to buy everything you want so that you can spend the new year dreading the impending bills. It also gives you 34 days to recognize how blessed you are.  34 days to see how much you can truly spend on those you love without pushing yourself too far.  34 days to create a budget to be your sidekick, your faithful companion.  It isn't there to tell you "no."  It's there to remind you what really matters to you.