Budget tip: there is no short cut
Updated: Feb 4, 2020
When we first started budgeting together, it was a struggle. There were fights. Drew wanted to curl up in the fetal position every time. Now he is a budgeting master. Instead of heading for the cereal to eat his feelings away, he often initiates it himself.
Finances can bring a lot of anxiety, and just like anything else that is good in life, it takes hard work.
How hard is it, and how long does it take to see improvement?
The bad news
Initially it is really hard work, and tedious. Every client I have worked with is surprised that you really have to examine every transaction and budget down to the dollar.
Everything that is worth it takes effort in life, such as relationships, health & wellness, careers, and unfortunately although there are helpful strategies, there really are no shortcuts.
The good news
It gets faster every time you do it, and when using software, eventually the software remembers a lot of it so that you don't have to constantly duplicate your work.
Typically I see breakthroughs in 4-6 months if my clients are consistent about sticking with it. It begins to click and there is less anxiety associated with thinking about their money. After a year, I see clients getting excited to budget because they start seeing is more as freedom to choose where they want their money to go, and less about restriction and tedious work.
Two of my clients recently saved several hundred dollars in one month that normally would have been eaten away little by little, and they are able to use that amount instead to meet their goals. In one case the money went toward paying off a credit card, and in another case saving for a down payment on a home.
I think they would agree, it is worth it!