What is a List but a prophecy of one's future?
There's no hotter question than, "What's your Budget?"
A question like this tells me three things:
- You've got money.
- Cause every penny you spend is being tracked.
- You're a Babe.
So, how do you become a Budget Babe?
Well, first things first, you gotta make a List, basically, for everything that you ever want to purchase, like ever, for any reason, always. For example, you could make a List of everything you want to eat this week, a List of everything you want to watch this week, a List of everything you want to not-do this week, a List of everything you have, etc., etc., etc., a List of things of which you could make a List is endless.
A List, while prophecy, is only potential. It is not fact or fruition, for it is what can be. A List is prophecy like psychicry, it is not what will be; it is what can be. It is potential.
A List becomes Budget when you add in a bit of reality ... the Cost.
When I was young, I remember thinking that a Budget was about how much money I had to my name, and that the money in my pocket determined my Budget for whatever I was trying to do, that there was somehow this "magical number" that created a "budget," and if I didn't know what that "magical number" was, then I couldn't create a "budget," cause how am I supposed to "just know" how much money I need for something?!? And I know that this may sound crazy, but it's how I thought, because nobody put it to me in plain english, ever.
What I've learned, however, is that a Budget is anything you need it to be.
A Budget is simply knowing how much money you need for whatever, everything, lol.
A Budget is merely a List along with the Cost of every item on that List.
A Budget is a plan, an outlay, a guide to get you to where you are trying to go.
There are simple Budgets and complex Budgets.
You write/create a Budget so that you can both see how much your endeavor is going to Cost,
and to create a plan for how you will cover those Costs.
There are prolly a million ways to Build a Budget, and here are two ways that I do it:
- Start with the amount you want to spend, say $100, and everything you buy must fit inside that number
- while this is an ideal strategy for daily life, it is not always the best strategy for new endeavors, trips, business startups, etc., because you cannot control the price of goods, cause while the cheapest option might make the Budget look good, right now, the item itself might destroy the Budget in the future, if the quality is too low
- I use this strategy after I have become very familiar with the prices of the goods I buy for daily life, for instance, most of our walmart trips fit inside our "daily food/domestic goods budget," cause The Budget is now set to the prices that we know we will pay for our "daily food/domestic goods," and so, when we head out to walmart, we already know how much everything we're gonna buy is going to Cost, and so The Monthly Budget has already been set to cover this Cost, and so, every time we go out for these types of goods, we have The Budget amount to spend, and if we want something additional that The Budget does not include, well, that thing is going to have to wait until The Budget expands to accommodate this Cost, or I gotta give up something in The Budget, now, and use that "leftover" cash for the new/additional item, or I can use/save up my personal allowance and buy the thing myself
- Start with a List of everything you need, go find the FLOOR PRICE of every item, and then create the Budget Number
- This is the strategy that I am going to outline below
So, start with your List.
What kind of List are you making?
For the sake of this piece, let's pretend you're preparing for a class or something, an event, or a trip. You need some stuff, and you know what most of the stuff is that you need, but maybe you also need to think of some other things that you need as well, and you have some money, but not a ton of money, but you have ways to cover some of the expense that you might not be able to cover yourself, and so, how do you prepare a List like this, with these types of variables?
Identify your Variables:
Has a List been provided for your endeavor?
- If yes, create a List of your own (with your own methodology; i prefer pen and paper, but i am old, so i am told *eyeroll*), give it a title, and copy down all of the items on the List provided. Even if you have an item or two on the provided List, copy all of the items onto Your List.
- If no, you're gonna have to do some extra work, simply start by titling the page "A List of Shit I Need for This Thing," and then you're gonna have to sit with Computer to help you think of everything you might need, realistically. Do not let Computer lead you. You're the Boss.
How much cash money (how many dollars in real dollar figures, no credit card swipes) do you have to spend on this endeavor?
- If the answer is zero, get a job.
- If you can do a rough top-of-the-head math on the items, do you have "enough"?
- If you can't do a rough top-of-the-head math on the items, do you think you have "enough" based on how much money you have?
- Do you have some money but not enough for everything?
How much "additional" money (credit cards, family, a donor) do you have?
This is not a "total amount" of money at your disposal.
It is mostly a check on your own money-situation, a chance for you to reflect on how much money, exactly, is available, that you know of, at your fingertips.
Okay, now we're going to make our List!:
I'ma Be A Vet Tech, Bitch!
Where are you headed:
Vet Tech Class
Was a complete/partial List provided:
Yes
How much cash money do you have to spend:
I think I have "enough," but I don't wanna spend all my money *weeps*
or
"enough"
or
none
or
some
some
How much "additional" money do you have access to:
zero dollars, because I don't want to use my credit card, and I don't want to ask my family
or
someone has offered to match my available funds up to $200
or
"enough" cause i'll charge it
Class-provided List Items:
- Scrubs - $
- Watch - $
- Comfy/Supportive sneakers - $
- Stethoscope - $
- Over-the-ankle socks - $
- Locker lock - $
- Textbook - $
- Lab fee - $
- Typical classroom supplies (notebook, pencils, etc.) - $
- (one assumes you already have a laptop, in this day and age *fingerscrossed*)
Additional Items (if you don't have them already):
- Waterbottle - $
- New underwear - $
- Manicure (cause the lady said not to have too-long of nails or whatever) - $
- Tote bag - $
- Lanyard - $
- Comfy-after-class clogs or something - $
- Zip-up hoodie or whatever approved warm layer - $
Okay, so we've gotta pretty nice List of shit we gotta buy. Some of the stuff is obviously not necessary, but I want it, cause I need it, and if I can afford it, I'm in school, bitch, so I'ma get what I need to get this shit done!
Now, I know the FLOOR PRICE of some of these items, because I shop at walmart, regularly, and walmart is where you can find a trusted FLOOR PRICE for all of the goods that they sell. If you're finding it at walmart, it's literally the least you ought to spend on an item, cause any lower, and the item will be shit. If walmart doesn't sell the item you're looking for, you're just gonna have to do some online comparison shopping to get a sense of what the FLOOR PRICE might be.
So, I'ma go ahead and copy the list below and include the FLOOR PRICES that I know off the top of my head (ima do a little rounding, and i'm in fucking hawai'i, so the floor prices here are gonna seem ridiculous, but it's crazy expensive out here, in the middle of the ocean) and the numbers in bold are guesses, but for the sake of this exercise, we'll pretend are true:
- Scrubs - (tops/bottoms are separate $25 ea) $50 for a set or $45 for the oh-so-adorable onesies
- Watch - $25
- Comfy/Supportive sneakers - $25
- Stethoscope - $80
- Over-the-ankle socks - $10
- Locker lock - $3
- Textbook - (whatever the price is, you're gonna have to pay it, unless you can find it used) $50
- Lab fee - (again, whatever it is, you're gonna have to pay it) $50
- Typical classroom supplies (notebook, pencils, etc.) - $20
- (one assumes you already have a laptop, in this day and age)
- Waterbottle - $8
- New underwear - $15
- Manicure (nota set, just a manicure and polish) - $60
- Tote bag - $10
- Lanyard - $5
- Comfy-after-class clogs or something - $15
- Zip-up hoodie or whatever approved warm layer - $15
Now, what you're going to do is go to walmart, or wherever you shop for "cheap stuff," and write down the FLOOR PRICE for everything you need. Cross off everything you don't need. You can even just sit on your ass and look everything up on Computer, but I think there's something valuable in going out to the store and seeing all the options on the shelves. You're writing down the FULL RETAIL PRICE. Maybe you find a $5 Clearance set of scrubs. That is NOT the price you write down. You write down the FULL RETAIL PRICE of the item, not the Clearance price, not the Sale price.
I'll wait.
How was your trip? Was it fun? Mine was!
So, now that you have the FLOOR PRICE for everything on your List, you're gonna add everything up!
This is when you'll probably want to input all of this information into Computer, in a spreadsheet or some sort of whatever that you had Computer make for you. Yes, I'm writing this so that you can understand what I'm setting you off to go then do, and yes, Computer will help you, if you then explain to Computer what I'm explaining to you now, but the best-most-effective way for you to do this is by reading this here thing, and then use your own words with your own brain and explain to Computer what you're trying to accomplish.
DO NOT LET COMPUTER TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
YOU ARE THE BOSS.
COMPUTER IS THERE TO HELP YOU, not the other way around.
TELL COMPUTER THIS, EXPLICITLY. COMPUTER LEARNS.
COMPUTER'S ABILITY TO LEARN IS WHAT ALL OF THIS "AI" IS ALL ABOUT!
*sigh*
Okay, so now you've made your List with Computer, input all of the FLOOR PRICES that you found at walmart, and now you've asked Computer to add up all those numbers for you, and now you have your Budget for the "cheapest" options on your List.
Provided List Total (pretty much non-negotiable items): $308
Additional Wants Total: $128
My Total Total (if this is wrong, whatever, im not good at math, lol): $436
If you have $436 that you can easily contribute to your class, great! March headlong and get. it. done.
If you have $436, but you don't want to spend that much, then you're going to have to make some decisions.
If you don't have $436, but you have $300, then ask that donor for $100, or apply for some scholarships or grants or anything you see that rewards you with money! You could even talk to your boss.
If you have $200, then it's your lucky day, cause that donor is gonna match you, and you've got $400 with which to work, and the above total does include a few luxuries that are maybe too luxurious, right now.
The point is that now you have a Number in a knowable Reality. So, if you don't have any money, you have an exact dollar figure to go hunting for funds. You have to know what you need. People are more generous than they may seem, but nobody wants to do more work for your life than you are willing to do for yourself, you know? When you have an actual dollar figure, adults will take you seriously. If you have an actual outlined Budget, they will take you even more seriouslier. You could even see what happens if you showed your Budget to your boss and asked for some sort of jobbing plan to help speed up your cash flow, if classes are starting sooner than expected, etc.
The "Additional Items" are going to be up for negotiation, but you can absolutely negotiate a need for some fresh underwear at the launch of a new semester. That's an easy argument to make, especially as women, we bleed. This is also why having a lot of women around with even more money is just so Boss.
So, unless you're just born rich, we're going to have to make some decisions. We were going to make some decisions, anyway, because maybe you don't want the cheapest version of some things, but you are absolutely willing to buy the cheapest version of some other things, and maybe you don't need a new hoodie/sweater, so you'll dig up one that'll suffice.
First things first, cross off whatever you already have and that you've decided you don't need, like notebook/pencils, the hoodie, etc. You don't want to extend yourself on things you don't need, and right now, it seems like you're not going to be able to get much on your "Additional Items" List, but that's alright, you're building your life. There will come a time when you will be able to buy everything on every List you create, but this is maybe not the time, just yet.
Now, do the math again:
(I removed the school supplies [$20] and the entire "additional" items list, except the manicure, need.)
Provided List Total: $288
Additional Wants: $60
Total Total: $348
You're UNDER the ideal $400 cash amount available to you!
So, you're going to set your Budget at $350, because you know you have access to that amount.
You'll throw in your $200.
And you'll ask for $200 from that person willing to "match" your efforts.
If you don't have this "other person" matching your efforts, that's really normal.
This is all "idealistic" in a world where people just help each other out, lol.
That's right, you have $400, but you're gonna set your Budget to $350.
You're shooting to spend $350, because you have $400 at your disposal, and you know that if you have to buy the cheapest version of everything at walmart the total won't be more than $350.
You've created wiggle room to do a little shopping. If you want more-expensive shoes, then you have some room to buy slightly more-expensive shoes, but only if you find a cheaper watch. If you find a cheaper watch, you can save that money from the watch and apply it to the slightly more-expensive shoe. If you gotta have the cute scrubs, then maybe you buy the cheap ones for now, and save up for the "cute" ones later. In essence, you now have all of these numbers to then stretch and shrink to fit your quality preferences. You're also going to have to do the math on the tax as you shop before you buy *boooooo*
And so, now, we shop!
We are still not buying, quite yet. You are now shopping for the items that you actually want at the price that you know you can afford, and you know the lowest price you should spend lest you begin to lose quality. So, what are we looking for? We're SHOPPING SALES, DEALS, CLEARANCE items. Every store has a Clearance rack, even the jewelry counter at Macy's.
So, how do the numbers add up?
You've got $25 in your Budget for some sneakers:
50% off a pair of $50 shoes is $25.
75% off $50 is $12.50.
75% off $100 is $25.
$50 BOGO with a friend is $25.
You've got $25 for a watch, which seems high, if you just need something that works:
50% off a $30 watch is $15.
You have an extra $10.
You add this $10 to your shoe budget.
You've now got $35 for some sneakers:
50% off $70 shoes is $35.
75% off $70 is $17.50.
75% off $140 shoes is $35.
$70 BOGO with a friend is $35.
I just bought two brand new pairs of brand name shoes at a "try on yourself" type shoe store for less than $100, here, in Honolulu. So, I know that you can buy two pairs of shoes for $50 on the main.land. at those big-discount stores like that one that rhymes with Boss, etc.
This is the fun part, for me. I am always paying attention to the price of everything, and so, I have a general sense of both how much I should be spending on an item (in relation to the price of the item in various stores around here) and how much I'm willing to spend on these items.
This is where you want to be so that "budgeting" becomes as easy as breathing,
because you know both how much something should cost
and how much you're willing to spend on any given item on any given day.
When you get to this place, you can spot a "good deal" from a mile away.
So go shop!
Find a great deal!
Buy! Buy! Buy!
As you check everything off your List as you buy each thing on your List (and you bought it cause you found a version of it on sale, so it's even cheaper than the full retail price that you logged!), keep all of your receipts, cause the total will not be some nice round number like your logged number, and maybe you forgot to include the price of shipping on an item or two! No worries. This is why you created wiggle room. This is also why I suggest you go to a store and buy the shit off the shelf, lol. I don't think you'll be able to come in at your Budget if you also gotta pay for shipping *boooo*
As you begin buying, add up your receipts and make sure you're staying On Budget. As you find deals, you'll start to see that you have even more money to spend on the remaining items on your List. Yes, you are allowed to spend your entire Budget. So, if you end up buying everything on your List, and you have money leftover, you can absolutely spend that money on the items on your original "Additional Items" List. If you come in under Budget and simply want to save it, that is an equally-responsible decision as spending the entire Budget. That's how Budgets work.
*phew*
Okay, I think that's about it on this one. It really is this simple, y'all. A budget is not some mystery, despite how some people like to talk about it online *eyeroll*
All it is is a List, a plan, your future, in numbers, and as you work through your List, you will realize that a List really is prophecy, and that you are that prophecy fulfilled.
In short, a Budget is simply knowing how much money you need for any given thing.
So, What's your Budget, Babe?
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| &now i'm off to buy/eat some truffle fries with my allowance cause i got $17.00 burnin' a hole in my wallet Truffle Fries Togo Subtotal: $6.95 Tax: $0.33 Total: $7.28 Tipped: $1.00 Cash leftover in my wallet: $8.72 |
hers&his
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| oops! &i accidentally bought myself some more flowers goshdarnit! had that $8.00 burning a hole in my pocket this bouquet retailed at $6.99 so i spent all the cash money i had allotted for myself to spend today &the change will roll over to next time! |