| Terry Rigg is the editor of the Budget Stretcher Newsletter. The
Budget Stretcher Newsletter is published monthly and is loaded with
information that will save you time and money everyday. Go to
http://www.homemoneyhelp.com for more information. |
Have you ever wanted anything so much that you
were willing to put off your bills to get it? A lot of people have and some do
it month after month. The worst part of this is that these same people wonder
why they are having money problems.
I'm not talking about putting off the bills to
buy groceries or pay for necessities. I'm referring to those little things that
you just have to have but really don't need.
This could range from buying a soda or cup of
coffee every day to buying furniture or a car when what you have will work just
fine. The bottom line is that if you can afford it and your bills are being
paid, then go for it. Otherwise, think long and hard.
In some cases people feel that they are owed
these luxuries because they work hard and deserve to reap some of the rewards
for their efforts.
This simply isn't the case. If you have too many
bills to allow for luxuries, in most cases, it's because you have obligated too
much of your money. The time to think about this is before you obligate that
money.
Your paycheck really isn't yours. After Uncle Sam
takes his bite, you still have to pay your bills and necessary expenses before
any of that money can be claimed as yours to spend as you choose.
This is why a budget is so essential to managing
your money. A budget, set up properly, can prevent you from obligating more of
your hard earned money than necessary, thereby leaving you with money to buy the
stuff you want.
Putting off any of your bills can put you in a
serious financial bind very quickly. However, putting off things like your house
payment/rent can have devastating results. Doing this because you just lost your
job is one thing, but to do it because you want a new couch is unthinkable.
If you are doing this, please be warned that it
will catch up to you. I can guarantee that it will be much harder to correct the
problem than it was to create it.
Take the time to sit down and work up a budget.
Make sure to allow for all of the bills and expenses that you have. If there is
money left over, that's what you can use to splurge.
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