What To Do When Are Really Bad At Budgeting

Do you struggle to stick to your budget?  You are not alone! Budgeting is one of those things like dieting that we all want to do, but we inherently suck at it.  Why are we all really bad at budgeting when we want so badly to do better?

It seems so simple, right?  You put a budget together for the month.  This means you know how much money you intend to spend in every category for the whole month.  This plan will allow you to move closer to your financial goals. 

NOT SURE HOW TO SET UP A BUDGET?  SIGN UP NOW FOR OUR BASIC BUDGET SETUP SHEETS TO GET STARTED TODAY!

Despite your enthusiasm and good intentions, you end up ignoring your budget for the month and resolve to try again next month.  Why do you do this?

This is the same thing we do with New Year’s Resolutions, plans to start exercising and dedication to finally starting to go on a diet and lose weight.  We always start out strong with good intentions but crash and burn shortly thereafter.

Ever heard of Quitter’s Day?  It falls on January 12, and statistically, it is the day when people quit their New Year’s Resolutions.  Just 12 short days after the drive and intensity is there to really achieve a goal, it falls to the wayside and life goes back to normal.

This is also known as the day regular gym-goers can relax and finally get their gym back to normal after the huge influx of people determined to start working out regularly quit.  You know what I’m talking about.

So what gives?

After struggling with this myself for years, I realized it’s so stinking simple but so challenging to overcome.

Money is about behavior.  Your body follows what your mind thinks.  If you use your smart little brain to make excuses, rationalize and bargain your way into spending more money than you should, then you are:

1.  Very normal, and
2. Not going to stick to your budget, ever.

I used to do this exact thing.  Check out this warped logic.  

I would go to a store and buy $300 worth of new clothes.  Let’s say there was an awesome sale going on and I saved $150.  Instead of being happy with the good deal and banking that saved money, I would tell myself I had saved $150 so that meant I had another $150 to go spend somewhere else.  Who does that?

I would rationalize going through the drive-thru by saying I wouldn’t buy some of my toiletries that month.  How stupid is that? I can’t not have toothpaste and deodorant! I can’t be the stinky lady with tooth fuzz. That’s gross.  BUT, I told myself at the moment that I could get fast food because I would cut my expenses in that other category.

I completely lied to myself to rationalize why it was okay to get that Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger.

So let’s be completely honest here.  It is not Starbucks that’s killing your budget.

It’s YOUR BEHAVIOR.

I have heard over and over that budgeting is 80% behavior and 20% math.  And guess what? It’s totally true.

If you can’t start to alter your behaviors, you will never be able to budget and achieve your financial goals.  Instead of calling it money management, they should call it mind management. That’s what we’re really talking about.

So, how do we fix this?

You need to admit you have a problem.  Nothing can be changed until you acknowledge it is a problem in your life.  Reflect on your own behaviors. Do you give yourself permission to spend more than you should?  Are you sabotaging yourself?

If you answered yes, then the good news is, you are on your way to doing better!  You just admitted there was a problem! The next step will be changing your inner dialogue.

The easiest way I have found to do this is to come up with a “Big Why” for why you are trying to budget.  What is the goal for your money?  If you are trying to pay off debt, why are you doing that?  What’s the big motivation?

Once you have your big why write it down and keep it in sight always.  In moments of weakness when your brain tries to outsmart itself, focus on why you need to be telling yourself no.  No more excuses. Focus on your why to get control of your behavior.

Related Post:

The Importance of Knowing Why You Want to Be Debt Free:  Finding Your Debt Free Purpose

5 Common Reasons You Are Failing With Your Budget & How to Fix Them

Are you ready to finally get control of your spending and stick to your budget once and for all?  Stop focusing on the expenses and start focusing on your behavior. Your mind will lead your spending.  You won’t be really bad at budgeting anymore when you start focusing on your behavior.

Do you have any spending weaknesses?

PIN FOR LATER!