Editor's Note: This article is adapted from materials used in the No Debt, No Sweat! Christian Money Management Seminar.
Marketing people learned a long time ago that names mean a lot. They affect how we perceive the world around us. A while back the network news reported that federal nuclear energy officials want to put a high level nuclear waste dump in the Yucca Mountains just north of Las Vegas, Nevada. As you might suspect, the good citizens of that area aren’t very enthusiastic about the plan. But, not to worry, the government boys aren’t going to call it a nuclear waste dump—they’re calling it a "repository." Ah, that makes it seem so much better, doesn’t it?
Everywhere I go, I run into people who hate the very thought of doing a budget. As I mentioned in part I of this series, I try not to even use the word "budget" because of the negative connotation. If you know me well, you know that I prefer the phrase, Personal Financial Freedom Plan to the word "budget."
Why We Don’t Budget
So why does the word "budget" inspire such negative feelings? There are about as many reasons for not budgeting as there are people without budgets. But understanding some of the most common reasons will help us overcome our aversion to it so we can move on to the next step. Here are three broad categories:
1) "I don’t know where to start!" These are the folks who feel overwhelmed by life and the money pressures they are facing, and one more straw will be enough to break the camel’s back. They want less stress and confusion. From their perspective, doing a budget is just one more complication they don’t need! What these people fail to realize is that a budget is the first step towards relieving their pain. Just as it’s painful to lance a boil—it’s the only way true healing can begin.
The good news is that a budget is simple and not very time consuming. A few minutes spent in the budgeting process just before the month begins can bring financial balance and tranquility for the month ahead.
2) "I’m not a geek—money stuff confuses me!" This is like saying, "I’m not a chef—so I’m not going to eat food." Properly handling your income doesn’t require any special classes or degrees. All it requires is a little basic knowledge and a willingness to change one’s behavior. And, remember, it’s not a question of whether or not your income is going to be spent. The only question is: Are you going to control the spending, or is the spending going to control you?
