Budgeting? Go a little deeper!

All of us are probably rethinking our personal “micro economies” given the changes in the “macro economy” of our country. It isn’t always a bad thing.

Currently, my husband and I have sworn off the expense of eating out frequently and have begun to prepare meals and eat at home on an almost regular basis. For the past weeks we have tried out new recipes and sat down for relaxing dinners with our family again! It’s been wonderful. We’ve reconnected with our kids and feel like accomplished gourmet chefs! We’ve baked bread, made our own mixes rather than buying them, shopped at the Tacoma and Proctor farmer’s markets for fresh produce, made meals in advance or cooked in the crock pot if we foresee a delay in our ability to prepare a meal for that day. Our kids are looking forward to meals again and we never have to call them twice! What could be greater than that?!

My simple advice to everyone seeking to remedy their personal economies is to get back to basics. It hasn’t been very long ago since I was a heartbeat away from homelessness. I remember as a single woman making a pittance of a wage and barely making enough to make my rent, much less anything else. Thankfully I found something I loved doing and did it. I began working at a bank and discovered I loved it! I loved the work, I loved the people, and the environment that came with it. I took advantage of tuition reimbursement, grants and other benefits, and worked my fanny off to finish my bachelor’s degree in business—and I DID! It took 5 years to finish off 2 years of junior and senior level classes, but I DID IT! The satisfaction from that remains today, although I’m never complacent. There is still a lot to learn! There are also many things I wish I could do (like a LOT more volunteering), but I simply don’t have the time right now. I am a new business owner. I am personally responsible for my life with no boss to run to for time off or a raise. If I want it, I have to do it prudently on my own. I also have two children (15 and 19 years old) that my husband and I are trying to guide through their life discovery phase!

All this to say: Jobs are not just a paycheck or a means to an end but the beginning of an exciting journey! While you are figuring out your “micro economy” and putting the budget numbers to paper, do some serious thinking about what it is you do to meet your budget numbers! Have you reached a point in your life where you might need to reinvent yourself or try something off the grid? Think about it. Seriously.

Next time: Real budget crunching