I know.  I know.  Budgets and money management is really not what you want to think about today.  In fact, a root canal might be preferable because money is often frustrating.  There might be more on your “I’d like to purchase” than your income will allow, you’d rather not think about the debt you’ve accumulated, and planning for the future is another headache altogether.

I get it.  But you will never make headway without a plan.  Ultimately, a budget is simply a tool that you design to direct your dollars to specific categories.  It really can be one of your very best friends.

A budget doesn’t have to be a straight jacket.  If you want to spend $200 on shoes this month, knock yourself out!  But be honest about it.  Whether you like it or not and regardless of your income, Budgets Really Do Matter.

Franklin and I married 14 years ago.  Neither of us knew how to budget and we managed our money paycheck to paycheck.  Our bills went into a pile and when our paycheck came, we paid the bills.  Any surplus was quickly spent and we began the bills in a pile, wait until payday, and put it on 90-days-same-as-cash or a card if we want or need it badly enough cycle over again.

All that changed when Franklin and I signed up for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University and had some support in learning to create, tweak, and stick to a budget.

I confess.  I am the nerd and I’m not ashamed to tell you that I have, in our files, a written budget for each month of the last decade.  I’m unapologetic because it’s helped us meet some important goals we established 10 years ago.

We are debt free except for our house.  We do not have a credit card.  We have an emergency fund that will sustain us for several months should we suddenly become unemployed.  We have traveled to Alaska, Mexico, and extensively in the continental USA in recent years with cash and our debit card.

We have saved for significant purchases and have saved for a home-based business start-up.  As of this week, we have, in-hand, the first run of our self-published early readers without having incurred debt.

We know, ultimately, that this was possible through financial wisdom and discernment that is available to those who ask for it from our Heavenly Father.  We also know that His answer to prayer for financial wisdom is rarely a windfall.  It will often require diligence in the day-to-day of money management and our day-to-day diligence is dependent on a well planned budget.

One of the greatest blessings in learning to budget has been, in turn, teaching our children about managing their finances.  We put Bailey, our 18 year old, on a budget when he turned 13.  He was given $200 at the beginning of every month (what we figured we spent on his lunches, piano, clothing, toiletries, and spending every month).  He knew that we would not bail him out when he ran out of money and we taught him to plan and save for bigger purchases.  He supplemented his “income” with lawn jobs and was financially literate to manage a larger monthly income when he began to work at McDonald’s this year.

If you are struggling and would like to learn the ins and outs of budgeting I would strongly recommend checking out Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.  Dave’s team has no clue who I am nor am I receiving any compensation of any kind for steering you in that direction.  I know there are infinitely many options out there.  I wish I could say, “Research them and choose the one that best meets your needs,” but I’m not willing to say that.  So many of the options will steer you to debt products.  RUN from these!

There really are no quick fix, money-for-nothing, pyramid scheme, or “microwave” options for managing money.  Dave calls a monthly written budget a crock-pot.  Successful money management requires thought and proactive diligence day in and day for months (years) on end.

How has budgeting brought financial peace and security to your life?    If you aren’t yet in love with budgeting, what’s keeping you from a monthly written budget?  Share your ideas!  Join the conversation by replying at the top of this post.

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For more from Marea, check out Me and Thee Studios’ faith based leveled readers for 1st-2nd graders at http://www.meandtheestudios.com/early-reader-collection.html.