Budgeting: Stay on Target Month After Month

Have you ever had a month or even a series of months where things are just off when it comes to your budget?  I know I have.  Life happens, things come up that threaten to tip your balancing skills.  Maybe you've just lost the patience or the drive to keep going when the light at the end of the tunnel seems so far away.  If you're like me you need a tune up once in a while to keep moving forward.  So what should you do to stay on top of your game when budgeting becomes mundane?  

1~ Breathe.  Recognize that life happens, a lot sometimes.  Even when you feel like you've been knocked to your knees, it's important to take a deep breath before continuing.  No matter what you're going through, it will not last forever.  It might not seem like it now, but if you keep pushing you will eventually break through to the other side.  Don't let life's detours make you quit.  Instead, enjoy the windy path along the way.

2~ Remind yourself of the big picture.  Accomplishing your financial goals is a marathon, not a sprint.  Big goals, like getting out of debt, saving for a house, kids college, or retirement happens one day, one step at a time.  Taking the time to remember where you are headed and why will give you an extra pep in your step.

3~Don't get distracted by your wants.  Sure you can throw in wants sometimes to spice things up, but don't make it a habit or you'll lose momentum.  This is another reason why it's so important to have a blow category in your budget.  It needs to be enough that you can blow off steam, but not so much that it derails your goal efforts.  

4~Make it a game.  When my husband and I were getting out of debt, we made it a game to see how much extra we could glean to put towards a bill.  As a result there were months where we made a double, triple, or even quadruple car payments or student loans.  It becomes addictive almost and feels great to see the progress you are making.  We are doing the same thing now that we are saving for a down payment for a new home.

5~Put daily reminders around the house, car, work to help you remember.  Maybe it's a picture of what you are trying to do.  I always encourage my clients to do this because a visual reminder helps a lot when you feel bogged down.

6~ Remember to always budget for those non-monthly expenses.  They can quickly become budget busters and also throw you off track.  Here's my post about that from last year.

With rare exception, change happens gradually, not overnight.  It only happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.  If you keep these 6 steps in mind, the mundane will be revitalized again and you will see that change over time.