Today, let's break ground on our Money House!
What happens when we break ground on a new building? We dig a hole where the new foundation will be laid.
Why dig into the ground before pouring the foundation? Because that way the foundation is secured into the earth instead of laying on top of it. This helps keep the new building secure during inclement weather. Rainstorms and windstorms of all types have a harder time moving a building whose foundation is embraced by the earth than not.
For your Money House, the breaking ground and digging to lay the foundation is represented by your commitment to living on less than you make. When you live beyond your means (spend more money than you bring in) it's like having your Money House's foundation set on top of the ground. The next economic storm is likely to push your House around or even topple it over. Thus we want to very intentionally secure our Money House foundation against that.
Once we have set our commitment in place (the proper hole is dug), then we want to lay our foundation. The true foundation of your Money House is your income. What, in total, do you bring home from your job(s)? This should be what you keep, not what you have before taxes and other fees are taken out. For instance, if your pay stub shows you make $1200 every two weeks before taxes and fees, but the check you can deposit only shows $1000, your Money House foundation is determined by the $1000 check.
Consider your take-home pay as the limited amount of concrete for pouring the foundation. A strong foundation needs to have enough concrete to be thick enough to support the weight of everything above it. If you spread your limited concrete too thin, your Money House will not be as solid as it should be. It may be tempting to have a bigger floor plan, but it should not come at the expense of structural integrity.
There you have it! Now you know how you can break ground and lay the foundation of your Money House. Commit to living on less than you make and only build it as large as your take-home pay will permit.
If you are married, and this is not something you've ever considered, I encourage you to discuss this with your spouse. Bring out both of your thoughts and feelings about money and how it should be spent. This Money House should be yours together. Perhaps it's time to start building it together.
Thank you Todd, good examples for wise money management.