The Budget

It's sad to say, but I am finally learning how to stick to a budget. Honestly, since Mike and I got married we have never had an official budget. That doesn't mean we were crazy with our money. We have always been frugal and spent our money wisely, but we also went out to dinner often and I had a little bit of a Target habit. It was never any big deal until just this last year, when, like everyone else, the economy put a little cramp in the Harker financial household. Mike took a 10% pay cut, I couldn't get a job at the school with enough hours. Then Mike went and tore his Achilles tendon, I had a baby, and hospital bills started piling up. To top it off, I had gotten a little to careless with my spending habits, and before you knew it, we were in over our heads.

So back in December, Mike and I decided that we had to get our financial lives under control. Thus, "The Harker Budget Book" was born. Mike figured out what income we had coming in and placed a value on all our "fixed" expenses; tithing, car payment, house payment, bills, etc. What was left we divided by four and that was the money I could spend for the week on everything else; groceries/food, entertainment, clothes, gas, haircuts, hobbies, and everything else we need to live. And guess what? It is HARD! There is way more things I need/want to buy and not enough money in week to pay for them all. So guess what I am learning? Delayed gratification and not getting everything I want when I want it, and sometimes, going without.

I now cook dinner every night. We used to go out at least once a week. Mike is now taking his lunch to work every day. He hasn't done that since the first year we were married. I only go to Target and get what I need instead of wandering aimlessly through the store and putting random things in my cart. I cut coupons like mad and make a strict grocery list by price matching as much as possible.

We have been doing this for about three months now and I don't see things changing anytime soon. We are trying really hard to get out of debt and follow the council we've been given for years of living within our means. Its hard, I get frustrated, and I wish we had more to spend. But at the same time, it is making me feel powerful and in control. I know where every single penny we have is going. I am choosing how to spent my money the best way for my family. I am learning how to make meals that will not only feed us for dinner, but for Mike's lunch too. It is working. It is hard, but we are doing it.