4 Surprising Ways a Spending Plan Can Create Fun and Feel Freeing
🕐 Read Time 4 Minutes
Most people don’t love the dreaded “B” word. The term budget can conjure feelings of restriction and thoughts of cash envelopes and eating ramen and beans.
Others may think it’s completely unnecessary because they make decent money and don’t struggle with debt. Or maybe others have been previously shamed for being unable to stick to a budget.
The truth is, everyone can benefit from a budget because it’s really just a plan for how you’re going to spend your money. You most likely have career plans, dinner plans, and vacation plans. Why not a plan for how you spend one of your most valuable resources?
When you think about a spending plan in this way, you can shift your thinking from limitations and guilt to ones of liberation and motivation.
4 Surprising Ways a Spending Plan Can Create Fun and Feel Freeing
Consider how these four ways could relate to your intentional spending plan:
You get permission to spend.
You can unleash possibilities for your future self.
You get to flex your creative muscles.
Less stress = more fun!
1. You Get Permission to Spend
When you don’t have a spending plan, you most likely buy whatever you’d like and try to push away the guilt that creeps in when you indulge. These feelings can rob you of the joy you experience when you have a great meal with friends or buy an outfit that you really love.
When you have a plan for your money, you can enjoy your splurges (guilt-free!) because they’re built into your budget. As you create budget boundaries, you’ll slowly build an intentional spending balance that feels right for you, your lifestyle, and your goals.
Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, focus on what you can do. Don’t look at your spending plan as something that constantly says “no” to fun, entertainment, and meals out. But instead, focus on the activities, meals, and experiences you can say “yes” to because they were planned for.
A spending plan permits you to let go of the guilt and enjoy life, all while simultaneously reaching your financial goals. And when the end of the month comes and you find yourself with extra money in certain categories, you have permission to treat yourself (sushi, anyone?), roll it over to the next month, or save it for other financial goals.
2. You Can Unleash Possibilities for Your Future Self.
One of my favorite parts of spending plans is giving your future self more freedom, options, and overall better financial health.
When you only focus on today and your immediate desires, you rob your future self of having bigger and better possibilities.
For example, if you stop for coffee every morning, order take-out to the office, stop for drinks after work, and spend your free time browsing Amazon, you’ll wonder why you never feel like you can take a nice vacation or upgrade something in your home.
Small, daily leaks in the budget can prevent you from saving up for something that would be more satisfying and rewarding. Little shifts in your spending plan can have a great impact on what your future self can experience and enjoy.
When you have sinking funds for specific experiences and purchases, you can find a greater sense of fulfillment and excitement when you reach your goals. You may also find that you get a greater sense of pleasure when you spend your money on experiences, travel, and hobbies rather than on more gadgets or other material possessions that don’t bring lasting joy.
3. You Get To Flex Your Creative Muscles.
Unless you work in a creative space, many adults don’t get too many opportunities to be creative. But when you’re working to stay within your spending plan parameters, you often have to get creative with how you spend your time and money.
Major categories that are easy to overspend in are groceries, eating out, entertainment, and home maintenance. But thankfully there are many ways to get creative to stay on budget.
Type in the ingredients you have into Google to find recipe ideas.
Discover a different grocery store and comparison shop.
Repurpose leftovers into new, fresh meals.
Learn how to make a few things from scratch such as bread and sauces.
Rethink a happy hour routine such as going for a walk, making a DIY charcuterie board, or playing cards or games with friends.
Get a library card or try a book exchange with friends.
Choose just one or two subscription services.
Search for free events in your city.
Learn a couple of simple home maintenance skills on YouTube such as dryer vent cleaning, replacing a leaky faucet, installing a light fixture, and patching drywall.
When you get creative to stay within your spending plan, you’ll likely learn something new, discover a fun hobby or activity, and pick up money-saving tips and tricks that can last a lifetime.
4. Less Stress = More Fun!
Though creating a spending plan might not sound like a good time, it can lead you to a greater sense of security, which ultimately frees you to experience more fun!
Think about this. When you’re constantly weighed down by your credit card bills or in a cycle of emotional shopping, your day-to-day life is filled with stress and worry. On the flip side, having a strong spending plan can bring you a sense of security and freedom, allowing you to feel happier.
A solid financial plan will have allocations for emergency fund savings (if you don’t already have a fully funded one), retirement contributions, and other sinking funds. This act of securing your future can help you relax knowing that an unexpected expense or emergency won’t completely derail your finances.
Finally, remember to give yourself grace as you create and stick to your intentional spending plan—always strive for progress, not perfection!
Have More Fun and Feel Freer with Financial Fitness Coaching
At Financial Fitness Coaching, we understand that you might have preconceived notions about what it means to have a spending plan or even work with a financial coach.
We value your time and freedom and want to show you how to stop wasting time, grow with confidence, and keep more money in your pocket. Reaching your financial goals begins with finding out where your money is going every month and we would love to help you get started.
To see how we can help, email us at info@financialfitnesscoaching.com or simply schedule a free 20-minute Discovery Call on our calendar.