Money Tip #5

Getting out of debt is like losing weight.

And staying out of debt is like keeping that weight off.

If we do what's easy, it feels good for a bit, but then turns around and bites you.

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I really can't believe how much money and weight have in common.  It's two things that Americans have a LOT of issues with, myself included.

Do I want to have a smokin' bod?  Yes.

Do I want to be debt free?  Yes.

Do I want ice cream?  Yes.

Do I want to buy a new outfit?  Yes.

Will one bowl of ice cream or one new outfit throw everything off kilter?  Maybe, maybe not.  It's important to know our limits when we set goals.  Is there a place in the budget where that new outfit would come out of?

For us, it would be either the clothing budget or our blow money budget.

And we have to adjust accordingly.  If I want an outfit that's twice as much as is in my clothing budget, I've either got to take the rest out of another category, or wait and use the cumulative amount from that category over a few months time to pay for it.

But back to the ice cream.  I have a choice.  If I eat the ice cream, but still want to hit my weight loss goals, then I have to burn off that many extra calories at my workout that night/week.  And boy, if you want to curb your ice cream eating, add up the calories in a small bowl, and then jump on the treadmill.

It sucks.

So even though it may seem silly, if you're stuck in "what should I do about this" in your budget, then compare it to weight loss.  How would you handle it?  It's a different perspective of the situation, and can be very helpful.