Budgeting is one of those things that we have a love/hate relationship with. We created a budget based on Nick's income before we were even married. We met at Panera one afternoon and sat down with calculators, bills, paystubs and Dave Ramsey's free budget tool to create a zero-based budget. There were headaches, tears, and some needed laughter to relief stress. Money seems to have the power like none other to cause stress and mess with emotions.
As we have been married a whopping 10 months, money has continued to be a source of blessing and a source of occasional angst. Our budget has been re-vamped multiple times through new benefits, new deductions, renting to owning... each time it seems to be a bit easier, but no more loved.
Nick and I use an Excel worksheet that he created (I married one smart man!), and I try to enter every single purchase. Tedious? Yes. Sometimes obnoxious? Yes! Worth it? YES! It causes me to pause before I buy that pair of shoes that I simply 'love' or those new fixtures for updating the bathroom. Honestly, it can hurt at times. Learning the art of depriving myself for the good of myself/us/future kiddos is painful. I look at that budget and see places I wish there was more money or even ways to be saving more for the future, but then I am reminded of God's goodness and Nick's care.
We are a one income family. (I work part-time, but we put that money aside for the future.) It doesn't make much sense to most people. We are young and don't have kids. I loved teaching full-time, BUT Nick and I decided that at this time our marriage was worth this sacrifice. I recognize that I am blessed with a man who desires me to make the home and our marriage a top priority. With our relationship and marriage being more important that having extra money we find it super helpful to be intentional about how we spend our money. We HAVE to budget!
Why I love budgets:
It allows for freedom! Money can enslave you if you let spending or debts get out of control.
It allows you to save money for things you really desire or need down the road.
It insures that you are on the same page with your spouse i.e. no one partner is spending thousands of dollars on boating expenses when you can barely pay your utilities.
It allows you to see how well you really can live on one income or what you may think of as not enough even with two incomes.
It shows you how to give sacrificially.
It helps you see where to cut back.
It opens your eyes to how much emphasis is put on material goods in your household.
It helps you set goals for the long-term and is extra rewarding when those goals are met.
Resources on budgeting:
Money and Marriage God's Way by Howard Dayton, Crown Financial Ministries.
Mint.com Nick and I are old-fashioned and like using our worksheet, so that the world wide web doesn't have all our information. I've also found that entering things in myself makes me that much more aware and conscious of when I am spending money too freely.
Crown Financial Ministries Spending Plan Tool This is very similar to the free tool Dave Ramsey offers that helped us create our first budget as a couple.
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey A book that gives helpful information in how to knock out debt, set-up an emergency fund, and plan for the future.
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Yeah! I am with you Emily! Luke also built his own Excel tool - we just paste our online banking transactions and categorize them. And, we revise the budget EVERY SINGLE MONTH. But you're right, it is so worth it. The peace and oneness with your spouse is priceless.
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