MODULE 2

4. Sticking to It

Staying Motivated

  1. Keep It in Plain Sight
    Will you be able to reference your budget throughout the month, or are you going to just set it and forget it? Losing track of the plan is a common mistake, so don’t fall for it. I suggest keeping reminders on your phone and putting your budget in a place where you’ll see it every day.

  2. Keep Your Goals Reasonable
    Your brain releases dopamine when you meet a goal, so set yourself up for success! The more goals you meet, the more dopamine your brain releases, which means more motivation to continue. If you set reasonable, reachable goals, you’re likely to stay on track. Of course you should aim to spend less on your problem categories, but baby steps are the way to go. Don’t make any drastic changes to your first budget.

  3. Stay Flexible
    It’s totally okay to move numbers around. If you need a little extra in a specific category throughout the month, don’t be afraid to add more and take from a different category that is doing a little better. This is your plan, not your prison. You have total control of how this looks. This also means you can switch up the TYPE of budget you’re using. Make this as personalized as possible, because you’re the only one that has to use it.

Want to Try Something Different?

The cash envelope method of budgeting is an interesting and fun way to plan your spending. In this method, you simply use cash for every expense, and you’ll keep it separated in envelopes labeled for each spending category.

This can be tricky, especially if you’re not used to carrying a lot of cash around. It can also be hard to pay with cash in certain transactions. Keeping track of your spending is a little easier, however, because you can see exactly how much money is left in each envelope.

If you’re not sure about it, try using ONE cash envelope for a spending category you’ve had difficulty with in the past. Only use cash for that particular category, and see if it makes a difference in your spending.

Are You Ready…

Now that you have a complete spending plan, it’s time to focus on your savings!