Budgeting Doesn't Have to Suck! · From Military to Millionaire

Budgeting Doesn't Have to Suck!

Budgeting can actually be fun, and more importantly, it’s about freedom. Remember that feeling of swiping your card and thinking, “Please go through, please go through…”? Yeah, that’s not freedom. Freedom is knowing your priorities are covered and you don’t have to stress every time you want to do something fun with your family or friends.

Budgeting is really just about setting your own priorities. For example, in our house, we realized what we valued most was experiences—not stuff. So, we quit grabbing energy drinks and junk at the gas station and stopped eating out so much. Instead, we cook together, which honestly is kind of a blast (and my kids get to laugh at my “creative” attempts at following recipes, haha). We tracked it, and that move alone saved us $300-600 a month. Now, that goes straight into our “fun/experiences” bucket—literally, we opened a separate account for it. If we want to go hunting, take the kids to the beach, or plan a last-minute trip, it’s a quick yes or no. No more drama, no more guilt, just simple decisions.

Bottom line: Budgeting gives you permission to enjoy your money in the way you actually want. It’s not about deprivation. It’s about getting intentional so you can actually say yes to the stuff that matters most, without stress.

So, I’m curious—what do you value? What would you want to set aside money for if you got intentional with your budget?

6 comments