Comments on: A Budget Provides Freedom

By: TGIF Round Up: Fighting a cold edition | Frugal Living Tips & Money Saving Ideas | Living Well on Less

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:33:18 +0000

[...] Frugal explains how budgeting provides freedom. I feel the same way! When I know exactly what I can spend, I feel more free to live my life [...]

By: Link Love - Home and Money « Saving Money Ideas

Link Love - Home and Money « Saving Money Ideas — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:33:52 +0000

[...] A Budget Provides Freedom at Being Frugal Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Link LoveMy StoryPrince CharmingCreate a ’good bank,’ not a ’bad bank’ [...]

By: Weekly Roundup of the Best Money Saving Posts (23rd January 2009)

Weekly Roundup of the Best Money Saving Posts (23rd January 2009) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:04:26 +0000

[...] Although the issue of frugally staying fit seemed to be an important one this week, it wasn’t the one that caught the most attention. What was, of course, was the presidential inauguration. This brought up a lot of online talk about economic change, what to expect financially in 2009 and the general politics of money. It also got a lot of people thinking about freedom. What does it mean to be free? And how can being frugal give us more freedom? [...]

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:57:43 +0000

We’ve been on a budget for over a year now and I am amazed how we got by before! Because of the budget, our finances are more organized, we have a better picture of where we are money-wise, and we are able to save more. Saving makes everything worthwhile!!!

By: cheap cindy

cheap cindy — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:34:05 +0000

great post - thanks! cheap cindy’s last blog post..Free 3 year subscription to Diet & Nutrition Magazine

By: SonyaAnn

SonyaAnn — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:30:22 +0000

I just finished my 2009 budget for all the extras that come up. I'm still working on getting all the money for it but at least I have something workable. I have to be one of the few people that loves budgeting and organizing closets. Budgeting and organizing to me means less chaos. And isn't that what we are all struggling for. SonyaAnn’s last blog post..DJ's 13th birthday party

By: Fern Greene

Fern Greene — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:18:31 +0000

Thanks for this post! My husband and I finally got over our childhood “budget = restrictions” mentality over the past year or two. I wanted to add one more positive about budgets – they show you things about your money that you wouldn’t otherwise notice.

Our regular budget looks like we end on the positive side every month, even with a second child in daycare as of last year. But for the past few months, that wasn’t happening – we were digging into our savings too often for it to be a fluke. When I did our 2009 budget, I averaged out expenses we pay only a few times a year – car insurance, the water bill (it comes quarterly here) – as well as utility bills that vary seasonally and special expenses – vacations, holidays.

And all of a sudden, I saw it in black and white. And red! We spend more than we make – not monthly, necessarily. But annually.

If not for the budget, we would’ve kept going on like this. But with one, we have a chance to make it right.

By: ItsAllMyFault

ItsAllMyFault — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:40:06 +0000

I actually have grown to enjoy having a budget. Planning is so simple once you set the budget and it makes it easy to see where your money is going throughout the year.

My issue with my budget in the beginning was it showed me so much of what I was doing wrong. When you run that analysis of where your money is going and then compare it to where you want it to go, it is an eye opening experience. But that was part of my growth: taking ownership.

By: momsthewordI

momsthewordI — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:26:48 +0000

We are tightening up our budget. You are so right. It is smart to set money aside for things like Christmas presents, insurance premiums, whatever.

Budgeting works best for us when we pay cash for our groceries. That way, you calculate what you’re spending as you’re spending it and avoid overspending.

Our spending habits should reflect what is really important to us.

By: annie

annie — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:23:25 +0000

I agree. I have financial goals and always felt guilty about certain things, but since I created a budget, I realized that I can set aside money for vacation (a reasonable one, lets not get crazy) while still working toward other financial goals. I set aside a certain amount in my monthly budget that is reasonable to me and I’m able to take a vacation without the guilt that I would have otherwise felt.

A budget also helps with my priorities. I know that I really relax at the beach, and its pretty easy for me to pass up a latte when I think about my upcoming week at the beach. A budget gives you permission to focus on your goals.