Walls?

What do walls have to do with budgeting? Nothing really, or do they? What is a wall? A wall is a line or a boundary that defines a space. Like where you live, whether it’s a studio apartment or a mansion, walls establish a place for you and your possessions. You and your things are protected inside your walls. However, on the other side of those same walls are the elements that could damage your things, or thieves that could steal them. So, as the home owner, walls protect you. But as a thief, those same walls are a barrier. Depending on your perspective, budgeting can feel like castle walls or prison walls. We choose how we view them. Is budgeting protecting you, or impeding you?

Budgeting can set you free of stress and debt which is very motivating and rewarding. It’s extremely liberating if you don’t owe the man! When you’re in control of your money, and you have little to no debt, having a budget is like a castle wall protecting you from creditors, emergencies, and an unfunded future.

Budgeting isn’t fun and exciting for many reasons—it can feel restrictive, overwhelming and frustrating. It’s like a prison with never-ending insurmountable walls that we may never escape. Sitting down and reconciling every transaction becomes a chore. It’s easier to just use the credit card and pretty soon we are buried in bills and debt.

Ultimately, you have to choose how you view budgeting—is your budget protecting your finances, or is your budget imprisoning you in chaos and debt? The beautiful thing about budgeting is that you can build or remodel your walls anytime. Just because you’ve tried before, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again. Maybe it’s time to approach your budget as if you’re building a financial castle.

If you’ve been imprisoned by your budget, or lack of a budget. If you are tired of all the details of a budgeting app, use 4 Bite Budget to break free of categories and transactions. The genius of 4BB is you don’t have to track every penny to keep a budget.  If you have separate accounts for things like bills, savings and spending, then you just manage money to those accounts and use them with a purpose. Go build a budget wall for your castle!