Today – Emotionally Intelligent Budgeting tips
Well, as you know, budgeting is almost ALWAYS common sense. Sense can go out the window though when our emotions get involved.
Do you do emotionally intelligent budgeting?
Budgeting is a very practical thing to do …saving money, mending clothes, doing your sums, not buying EVERYTHING your child asks for. Most of us know the practical stuff really if we sit down and think about it.
I don’t think it’s usually lack of common sense that stops people budgeting. I think its more emotional than that. So I am going to share with you some budgeting tips that will affect how your react when money spending tempatations sneak on in and our feelings get involved.
Let’s look at some emotionally intelligent budgeting tips
Okay in our first scenario we are faced with temptation, escapism, and being swept along with the crowd.
1. You fancy a holiday and everyone’s booking one
Oh the temptation, its been a long hard COLD winter and those brochures just shout sun sand and sangria. LOOK AWAY. Who can resist chocolate in their cupboards or that remaining glass of wine in the bottle.
Willpower is never enough the key is to not put yourself in the line of temptation at all. So don’t look in the travel agents windows if you can’t afford a sunshine break. Don’t browse your friends brochures or listen to them talk at length about their holiday. Remember avoiding temptation is MUCH easier than resisting it.
But you don’t want to be left out the loop?
This is totally normal.
Never forget though being unique is always going to make you more interesting so do something exciting but different to the crowd and shout about that instead. Why not house swap with a friend who lives in the county and wax lyrical about den building and rural living fresh air and long walks for the kids.
Trying to soak the kids to see if they made a good den…!!!
Or you could go and visit friends in another city and shout about reducing you carbon footprint and urban appreciation, museums and British history. These ideas will cost very little but will give you something to look forward to , talk about and they will still be a break from routine,
Emotionally intelligent Budgeting lessons learned……
Think outside the box,
Avoid temptation,
Hatch a (budgeting) plan so you still have something fun to do
Be proud of and interested in what you have going on you and talk it up
Scenario 2
In this scenario we face being put on the spot, being left out, being embarrassed and feeling sad
All your friends are meeting up for a meal out and you are stony broke. You have been fudging about whether or not you can come and you have suddenly been put on the spot and have no excuse to hand. What are you going to do…?
Stall. Say Oh thanks so much for asking me I will check that date and let you know. Smile and move on the conversation. ‘Let me check’ always buys you time to think.
Now with good friends if you can be honest the scenrio won’t keep occurring but I do appreciate you may not want eveyone to know your financial business. That’s your choice. You can be ‘busy’ that night or just say ‘sorry I cant make it’ (do it on a text so it doens’t become a big old converstion about why.)
It isn’t nice to feel you are the only one not going to an event thoughso whenever I have to say no because of money I try and offer at the same time a free way to meet up really soon e.g so sorry I cant make that meal next Thursday but have some time the weekend after and would love a walk by the river /tea in our garden and a catch up if your free?
This way you won’t feel so out the loop or sad that you are missing out and you will have a plan that’s not going to cause you financial grief
Emotionally intelligent Budgeting lessons learned
Stalling gives you time to think
Tell people or not that you are on a budget …. your choice but you can always just say sorry we are busy.
Offer an alternate (free) plan so you do still see friends
You should not feel ashamed of being on a budget but if you are uncomfortable these words seem to have a completely different ring to ‘no sorry we are skint. ‘ Try saying this instead….
‘I won’t be coming we are SAVING at the moment’ (sounds mysterious I think!)
Feeling good on a budget!
Last but not least being on a budget, buying second hand, using leftovers, and not travelling so much does tend to make you greener and more eco friendly by default. You will also be a better sewer and more resourceful cook too … be proud of these skills and embrace them…what great lessons for your children.
You can be positive and proud that you are on a budget.Who wants materialistic kids who don’t know how to play with cardboard boxes and daisies…not me!
I really hope these Emotionally Intelligent Budgeting Tips prove useful to you!
More money saving ideas
Do take look at my post on budgeting tips for low-income families
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