Real Life on a Budget
One
winter, a few years back, Central Texas had an unusually cold winter.
We had days and days (and days) of below freezing weather. And, yes,
even snow! Unheard of! Normally, I would have rejoiced at the
opportunity to build a snowman, and drink hot cocoa all bundled up…and
of course retreat at any time to a nice warm home.
However, this winter was different.
We
had just recently moved to my husband’s first coaching career stop. It
was our first home with our first baby, living on one salary, and
residing in a very old country farmhouse with window units, no
insulation, and exposed pipes. Now, I may sound like a snob to some, but
window units and I do not get along. Especially in very cold days like
these (I would have never survived before central heat and air!) I was
continually cold that winter, and I was convinced my baby was, too.
One
morning, after Cliff left for work, I forced myself out of my warm bed
and headed for the shower, to wake up. As I turned on the faucet,
nothing came out. No water.
“What, no water?”
After
checking the rest of the house, I realized our pipes had frozen. Super!
When our little one woke up, I bundled her up and headed to a friend’s
house (a normal house with working water, central heat and air.) As I
walked into her nice, warm home, I burst into tears. I was sick of being
cold. I wanted a nice warm home like hers. And I began to wonder if the
financial sacrifices we were making were really worth it.
We
continued to live in that farmhouse for another year, even through
another winter! And, guess what? We all survived! The bittersweet
combination of back porch sunsets, grazing cattle, country insects
crawling through the cracks in our home (that one was bitter), and
star-filled nights left our lives more full, and our family more
grateful and prepared for the adventure ahead.
Real life on a budget is hard.
We
have to make sacrifices that other families aren’t making…or at least it
seems that way, at times. We own used cars, most of our furniture is
hand-me-downs or found at consignment stores, we eat at home a lot, and
most of our clothes are birthday and Christmas gifts (thank you family!)
Even though we have “upgraded” financially since our farmhouse stop, we
are still budgeting, living on a high school coach’s salary, and making
decisions that keep our finances healthy. Although it can be hard, I
believe learning to live on a budget has grown me more into the person I
want to be, desiring the things that really matter…like time with my
children over the new couch and new table that would really make our
home more comfortable. It has changed my perspective to wait for
material things I think we need, or even save for them. And it’s funny
how I much more appreciative I am, when we do buy them.
I
still have days now where I struggle, when I lose perspective, and
become discouraged or stressed about our finances. We have come into the
habit (when my husband or I need fresh perspective) to schedule a
family meeting (or a little chat after the kids go to bed) where we go
over our concerns and prepare together for the path ahead. Through
prayer, we plan where our money should and should not go. It helps us
get on the same page, and even though we don’t always agree, it helps us
gain new perspective on our priorities.
There
are also times where we do not follow are budget as closely as we
should. You’re thinking, “What? I thought you were perfectly
disciplined!” Yes, we do splurge at times, but it looks different from
when we were first married, using our credit cards like they were play
money. Yes, we do go out and do fun things as a family, but we always
reevaluate our budget to make sure we are staying on track.
It
is amazing what we can live without, and how we can really thrive off of
one salary. I couldn’t be more thankful to spend my days with my three
little ones. As so many older and wiser women have told me, “These days
go by fast.”
Although we still have a lot to learn, I thought I would share a few quick practical ways to tighten your budget:
Give.
As a family we have always given. Both of our parents taught us to
give, and even when it is not in our budget - we still give. We have
given not just our money, but our things too, to those in need. I
believe this has been the single most important discipline we have
practiced and God has honored us beyond our expectations.
Get on the Same Page.
As a couple, take a class, read a book or attend a seminar on finances
to decide what your goals will be with your budget. Cliff and I took a Dave Ramsey seminar when we were first married, and it has dramatically helped us every step of the way.
Have an Emergency Fund.
This is Dave Ramsey 101, but it has really helped us. Save up for an
emergency fund, say around a thousand dollars, so when emergencies
happen…car repairs, dog shots, carpet cleaning after you just finished
potty training your toddler…you don’t have to take out of savings, or
worse, put it on a credit card.
Pray for Extra Cushion.
Pray and look for ways to make extra money, especially when kids’
birthday parties and Christmas start staring you in the face. God has
always provided extra money or ways to make it when we have needed
provision. I recently helped a family by watching their son, and my
husband has had the opportunity to preach a few times on the weekends.
These are awesome opportunities we enjoy that help provide that extra
cushion each month.
Make Gifts.
We rarely buy gifts, but still love blessing people. We are busy with
three little ones, but we always find a way to put something special
together for the ones we love. We paint rocks, make cookies for friends’
birthdays, decorate scripture cards
for wedding and baby showers, print photos or a collage of our
beautiful children (always a winner), or create many more God-inspired
and found-on-Pinterest projects.
Make what you crave. So
I am really talking about coffee here, but we also eat a lot of bread
and sweets. I know, I need to read more about sugar discipline. However,
invest in a latte machine, bread maker, or find a few homemade, yummy
desert recipes, so you aren’t spending half of your paycheck at
Starbucks or on Sonic milkshakes.
Ask Family to Help.
We have an amazing family that has offered to help us even when we
didn’t ask. If you need help with your son’s swim lessons or your
daughter’s new dance outfit, ask your family. I am sure they would love
to help. Just don’t ask every week. And don’t ask to move in with them,
either. (Oh, wait…we tried that one.)
