I have to admit it. My budget has gotten away from me.
It’s entirely my own fault. I’m used to having more discretionary funds than I do now. Where did those funds go? Well, I bought a house and my roommate moved out. These are both things that I can afford, but it means cutting back in other areas.
I thought I was being reasonable with my purchases, and for the most part, I have. I’ve been buying things for the house, things like furniture to replace the patio furniture previously in my living room and storage things to help with the closets. But I’m not going to lie, I’ve also bought a few ridiculous things that I didn’t need to spend money on.
So now I’m trying to tighten the purse strings a bit. December is going to be a month of not spending. I’m still going to buy groceries and such, but I’m really pulling things in so that I can start the new year fresh.
One thing that helps is just keeping a constant eye on my spending. This is a lesson we all know, but something we can always stand to be reminded of. Make a budget and follow it. It can be the envelope system, an online system, a spreadsheet on your computer, or a little notebook you carry around. Just figure out what you have, what you can spend, and where you will spend it. Easy, right?
