Money You Don't Have
After thoroughly going over my budget and the remainder of my list of upcoming expenses I'm feeling a little Scrooge-ish. Mostly because it has been a very long time since we have had to live this close to scraping the pavement with our faces and I'm simply not used to trying to squeeze a dollar out of a radish anymore.
You make your budgets, you plan your plans, you scrimp your pennies and at the end of the day unexpected expenses pop up like dandelions. The least beautiful flower in your lawn and they multiply before your eyes. It isn't news to me, I've lived under far worse circumstances. It is just an opportunity for me to become extremely creative in how I spend my money.
I don't think I can truly make a real working budget at this point because this will be the first month upcoming in June that we will only have one income. I have laid out my parameters, {the expenses are obviously typed in bold, because they don't change}, and I have tried my best to conjure how we can divvy the remainder of the money.
I just recently visited Walmart for a few small groceries and came out spending more than $70 on like 1/3 a cart of food. I don't know why I'm constantly amazed at how not cheap Walmart is, it's the full reason I drive to Springfield to shop at Aldi because I like to see how far a dollar can stretch and Walmart is a laughing stock as far as that's concerned and even with the extra gas I still get way more for my money. I think Walmart has monopolized so many of us thinking it's an all in one pit stop that we put up with their ridiculously high prices.
Groceries are the one place where I feel like most people can cut in their budget. There is some way you can spend less one way or another. If there's one way to tighten the belt that is where I'm going to have to do it because you can't exactly tell the city that you're cutting back so you're not going to pay the full water bill, haha. And if you try to tell the Electric company that you will likely end up without electricity.
It is your controllables in any business that will dictate how profitable you will be. Some things you simply can't control, others you absolutely can and should. And in this business of our home I am the one looking at the bottom line every month to pay bills and it's a good thing that I like challenges because otherwise it might become very overwhelming. lol Especially when you have to keep going back over your plan and making adjustments for every unexpected event that happens in your life.
We made a decision for me to not work full time, literally a week after my resignation was up my vehicle broke; not a small break either, mind you. It's been one thing after the next since then and it's only been a couple weeks. I've had to whittle away at my stash of cash and I'm feeling very much like Winnie the Pooh left with only the sticky part of the honey in the jar.
The first thing that came to mind when the mechanic said $450 was this is a test. I'm being tested. My resolve is being tested. My faith is being tested. Will I panic and think to myself God led me out into the wilderness to starve!? Or will I look at this like it is, life chose a very inconvenient time to push me out of my comfort. I had plans for all of that money, but of course, it makes no sense if you don't have a car. I am certain that God would not have given my husband and I so much peace about me quitting my job if he didn't intend on taking care of our needs. Maybe not our wants. Although I believe He cares about those as well.
I plan on sticking to what we know is true, even if that is extremely inconvenient. You don't spend money you don't have.
You make your budgets, you plan your plans, you scrimp your pennies and at the end of the day unexpected expenses pop up like dandelions. The least beautiful flower in your lawn and they multiply before your eyes. It isn't news to me, I've lived under far worse circumstances. It is just an opportunity for me to become extremely creative in how I spend my money.
I don't think I can truly make a real working budget at this point because this will be the first month upcoming in June that we will only have one income. I have laid out my parameters, {the expenses are obviously typed in bold, because they don't change}, and I have tried my best to conjure how we can divvy the remainder of the money.
I just recently visited Walmart for a few small groceries and came out spending more than $70 on like 1/3 a cart of food. I don't know why I'm constantly amazed at how not cheap Walmart is, it's the full reason I drive to Springfield to shop at Aldi because I like to see how far a dollar can stretch and Walmart is a laughing stock as far as that's concerned and even with the extra gas I still get way more for my money. I think Walmart has monopolized so many of us thinking it's an all in one pit stop that we put up with their ridiculously high prices.
Groceries are the one place where I feel like most people can cut in their budget. There is some way you can spend less one way or another. If there's one way to tighten the belt that is where I'm going to have to do it because you can't exactly tell the city that you're cutting back so you're not going to pay the full water bill, haha. And if you try to tell the Electric company that you will likely end up without electricity.
It is your controllables in any business that will dictate how profitable you will be. Some things you simply can't control, others you absolutely can and should. And in this business of our home I am the one looking at the bottom line every month to pay bills and it's a good thing that I like challenges because otherwise it might become very overwhelming. lol Especially when you have to keep going back over your plan and making adjustments for every unexpected event that happens in your life.
We made a decision for me to not work full time, literally a week after my resignation was up my vehicle broke; not a small break either, mind you. It's been one thing after the next since then and it's only been a couple weeks. I've had to whittle away at my stash of cash and I'm feeling very much like Winnie the Pooh left with only the sticky part of the honey in the jar.
The first thing that came to mind when the mechanic said $450 was this is a test. I'm being tested. My resolve is being tested. My faith is being tested. Will I panic and think to myself God led me out into the wilderness to starve!? Or will I look at this like it is, life chose a very inconvenient time to push me out of my comfort. I had plans for all of that money, but of course, it makes no sense if you don't have a car. I am certain that God would not have given my husband and I so much peace about me quitting my job if he didn't intend on taking care of our needs. Maybe not our wants. Although I believe He cares about those as well.
I plan on sticking to what we know is true, even if that is extremely inconvenient. You don't spend money you don't have.
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