Hunger

This week, I'd like to discuss some of the temptations we have when we experience a lack of those necessities that keep us alive. The Four Walls of your budget of food, shelter, utilities, and transportation can all have serious temptations associated with them. Today, let's begin with hunger. We all know what a rumbling stomach sounds and feels like. It is distracting unlike most anything else we experience. Couple that with fear if you don't know where your next meal comes from and you are setting yourself up to suffer even more. Feeling unable to provide for your family, especially children, can be devastating for parents, on top of what they may be suffering through as well. This is why I challenge my clients and others to put food first in a budget. Setting aside money specifically for the purpose of keeping you and yours fed can relieve a great deal of the stress I mention above. Consider, how freeing would it feel to be able to go to the store, put things like cereal, milk, eggs, butter, and other things in the cart without worrying if there is money for them? Setting an effective limit on your food spending is equally important. While you don't want to go hungry, you also don't want to overspend on food. If you do, you may find yourself eating more then feeling hungry again earlier. Consider setting a limit on how much you spend on food per month after you place it in your budget. Sticking to that limit also helps build discipline toward your bigger money goals. So, today, I challenge you to build your budget, put food first after you note your income, and set a limit on that expense. Feel the freedom that comes from not worrying about where your next meal comes from. In addition, take on the responsibility for that freedom by not spending too much. Walk in both freedom and responsibility. See how far that path takes you.