The flexibility of a budget

This is such a crazy time! We’ve been locked down for several months and gone through some pretty weird supply shortages – who knew toilet paper would be treated as gold? And while TP is back on the shelves at our local grocery store, there are still bare areas in canned goods and limits on how much water you can buy.

And now I’m hearing chatter again of more shortages to come. “Get ready to hunker down!” So much fear and rhetoric out there, it’s hard to know what to believe, but I believe that fear moves people to do strange things. So I went to the grocery store tonight to stock up on some extras, just in case fear causes widespread shortages once again.

The experience made me thankful to be a budgeter – and even more thankful that I’ve started budgeting monthly, instead of for two weeks at a time. This means I have enough money set aside for an entire month of groceries. So if I decide to stock up for two weeks at a time, instead of one, it’s completely doable (at least from a money standpoint.) As long as I can maintain the balance between money and supplies for the month, it doesn’t matter – financially speaking – when I buy them. That gives me flexibility and I’m so grateful!

When the TP shortage was happening, we found a local janitorial supply and bought a box with 96 rolls of TP. Problem solved! And it wasn’t a financial stressor to pay so much for TP, because it meant we didn’t have to incur that expense for a long time to come. But it works because we can keep track of the expenses, how much we need and what categories we can move money to and from, without disrupting our financial lives.

My budget is the tool I use to live my best life – and the peace that comes with it is priceless. My budget gives me the freedom to change priorities and roll with the punches.  

What does your budget do for you? Share your thoughts with me! Bobbi@centsablechat.com