Hot take: People treat "budgeting" like it's punishment instead of a tool

I keep seeing folks on here celebrating paying off debt or saving a bunch, but then they act like their budget is this cage they can't wait to escape. My sister in law, she spends hours planning these super strict meal plans and then cracks by Wednesday and orders pizza three nights in a row. She gets so down on herself about it. I've been running my own cleaning business for about 5 years now, and I learned that a budget has to bend a little or it breaks. I keep a line item just for a random treat, maybe $20 a week, no questions asked. That way I don't feel like I'm failing when I grab coffee or a new scrub brush from the hardware store. It's just a plan, not a prison sentence. What do you do to keep your budget from feeling so restrictive?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_sanchez7516d ago

Right, your sister in law needs that little fun money line item, I do the same exact thing or I'd go nuts.

leelewis16d ago

Actually @holly_sanchez75 it's usually my sister not my sister in law who needs the fun money.