How to deal with budget deprivation (best, old, money)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm feeling deprived. This happens a lot when it comes to budgeting. I just increased the amount I'm contributing to my emergency fund this month, do maybe that's what started it.
There is a definite emotional/psychologial component to all this for me; but basically I just wanted to know: Anyone else ever go through tihs? How do you get over the feeling of deprivation so you can stick to your budgeting goals?
i like to allow myself a certain amount of frivolous money per week or month or whatever. i might just buy something stupid and cheap like rainbow socks but there is definitely a mental element to it
well actually, i don't have a frivolous budget specifically but i have savings direct deposited from my pay checks so anything extra in my checking account after bills are paid is mine to play with. i do like to have a few hundred dollars in there as a cushion, though, and i worry irrationally when i don't have such a cushion.
It's not easy to save. Especially when you can think of so many 'fun' things to do with that money. But in the big picture, money in savings will buy you more peace of mind than a fun evening out.
For me, I have to have SOME fun money. We usually discuss bills, savings, and then decide how much we can have for 'fun' this month. Total deprivation leads to overspending for me. It's better to just have fun as an element of our budget.
Perhaps it was the way I was raised, but I don't feel deprived. I always want a "cushion" for emergencies because life has dealt me many blows in my half a century of living. Mommy and daddy are no longer there to bail me out if something happens. It is all on my shoulders. I think about the time(s) in the future that I may really have an "emergency" and there is no one to call. think about that when you "want" something. My life is about "needs", not "wants".
Perhaps it was the way I was raised, but I don't feel deprived. I always want a "cushion" for emergencies because life has dealt me many blows in my half a century of living. Mommy and daddy are no longer there to bail me out if something happens. It is all on my shoulders. I think about the time(s) in the future that I may really have an "emergency" and there is no one to call. think about that when you "want" something. My life is about "needs", not "wants".
I've never felt 'deprived' either. My needs are always taken care of and, at one point, I was poor enough that my wants got put on the back burner for so long I forgot what they were! lol I have always, always, ALWAYS had my emergency fund whether it was small or large. Having something come up that I can't afford to have taken care of causes me MUCH mental anguish and I can live without that.
I have family around but I would never ask them for help. I'm probably better off than most of them right now. I DO help them, if they really need it.
A couple of weeks ago the motor went out on my old evap. cooler, just in time for the temps. to reach, and go over, 100 degrees! Here in AZ that is NO fun! So I called Home Depot and was in luck...they had three of them, for $350 each. So, I go down and they look for a half hour and can't find even one. Then I also found out that if they DID have one they sold the motor separately. Another $80. I got a GOOD deal out of it though. They said they'd give me the bigger $475 cooler...motor included!...for $350. So far, I love my new cooler. Even with the higher humidity it works great and will run me out, it gets so COLD! lol Anyway, thanks to my emergency fund I didn't have to go in debt to get it. I've also had incidents with my old car when I had to come up with hundred of dollars for repairs and, again, my EF bailed me out. Whew! I will never be without a EF.
Make a game out of finding deals & using coupons - your money can go a lot further if you know how to get stuff cheap or free. Slickdeals.com is a good place to start. You can use sites like Swagbucks to earn giftcards for Amazon & other places for some extra "fun" money.
The key is I only save money in the places I don't care too much about and/or cost too much (rent and car immediately come to mind.) Then I realize how much effort I'd need to spend in clipping coupons to shave off a $100 or two in rent every month. So I go for the low hanging fruit first and just stop when it gets prohibitively difficult.
I am there. This month and next month I am paying off all debt. Just bite the bullet and pay it off. Then, I am going to work on savings. But it is difficult when you basically live paycheck to paycheck...and have cut out all things...I have to have a cell phone...I don't pay for Internet or cable. Don't travel or buy things. I am just scraping by....I do have one luxury...health club...I go there almost every day and work out...can't afford to go any where else!
I have personally found that the best way for me to cope with living in a tight budget is to decrease my wants. Over time, I've trained myself/taught myself/conditioned myself (not sure what is the best term) to not want as many things as I used to. This has happened gradually over time. I still do have things I want to spend money on, but since they are fewer, I don't feel as restricted as I used to, even though I am spending less money on non-essentials than I did in the past.
Once you pay off debt where there is a interest rate applied, except maybe a home, then you really start saving, and it is allot easier. But you have to do what is necessary within your budget.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
