I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday filled with fun, food and laughter. As we say goodbye to 2022, take a moment and define which moments made you feel happy, or sad or displaced. Make note of the things you've done to improve your life or the lives of others.
Make a list, not a resolution but a list of what you intend to accomplish in 2023. By making it a list rather than a resolution, you are more likely to achieve your goal.
One of the most used (and forgotten) resolutions is taking control over your money. This is so much easier said than done of course. Especially in these uncertain and trying times. There is no better time than now to take a step towards financial planning.
I could go into a dozen reasons why you should, what you should do and all that but there is a great deal of information available from any numbers of sources. Dave Ramsey is one of those and our personal choice. We followed his plan and became fully debt free within 9 years (including paying off the house).
My point? It's possible. Even with a highly resistant and impulsive shopper. That would be me. We sold what we didn't need, drove older cars, cooked at home instead of eating out and volunteered with the local sports groups so our kids could play without registration fees. Starbucks was a luxury and reserved for accomplishing the current task. Then it was back to saving. It was worth it.
I designed some tools that can help you succeed in your budgeting.
Cash Envelopes
Household Expenses Stickers
Monthly Budget Sheet Pad
Bank Teller Bill Breakdown Pad
Cash Stuffing Stickers
You really don't actually need supplies and tools, save for a piece of paper and a pen, but it can make it less confusing but more importantly, the tools above center your focus and lets you visually see your progress. It is such a great motivator!
Dave Ramsey has a quote that I believe sums it up perfectly:
"Live like no one else so you can live like no one else."
We think that is a beautiful way to summarize the feeling of being debt free.
Happy New Year!
-Maria