One of the best things Brandi and I have done since day one of our marriage (we’ll be married 15 years in December) is keep a budget. Man, this has saved us from making so many stupid financial decisions over the years and relieved us of a ton of financial stress.
In fact, one of the main reasons we get to support so many different Kingdom ministries these days is because of this discipline. I can brag on this one because, honestly, I’ve had very little to do with it. Brandi is brilliant with our finances. I don’t even know how much money I make. 
I bring all of this up because my friend, Rachel Cruze, wrote a great article for Relevant Magazine you can READ HERE that talks about the importance of a budget.
But change doesn’t just happen. If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, then you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. Change starts with a plan.
In Luke 14:28-30, Jesus makes it pretty clear. He says, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?”
Proverbs 27:23 puts it like this: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds.” In other words, have a clue!
That starts with a budget. Whether you’ve got a lot of debt or you’re cruising through life debt-free, you’ve got to have a plan. A budget is simply telling your money what to do instead of wondering where it went.
A lot of people get into financial trouble because they don’t keep track of what’s going in and coming out of their checking account. They just wander through life without a plan, until one day they get smacked in the face by a bunch of crazy collectors on the phone or a foreclosure notice from the bank. That’s not a situation you want to face.
With a budget, you’re spending everything on paper, on purpose, before the month begins. And if you believe you are simply a steward of everything that passes through your hands—that it all belongs to God anyway—then you understand budgeting really isn’t an option. It’s a necessity.
So, do you have a budget?
Yes. Better question: Do I stick to that budget? No. But it’ll be new year’s soon…
Ha! Time to start all over again.
Maybe you should do a 6 month budget. Than you have two changes a year to start over.
I do have a budget. I do my best to live by it. And I hate debt. I have student loans & they’ve been around long enough that they’ve moved in…I want to kill the sucker.
You are spot on Pete – we have to live with a plan or else we’ll be scratching our heads in 10 years wondering why life isn’t any different.
“we have to live with a plan or else we’ll be scratching our heads in 10 years wondering why life isn’t any different.” I’ve repeated that way too many times in my life.
I have a budget – and honestly, Pete, it has set me free. I used to fret and worry about my money all the time. When I first started using it, I was a hot mess – scared to see what I didn’t have – when in reality the budget has shown me not only what I do have – but the potential for what I could have and do with my money. I am a much happier, more generous person because of my budget. It’s the greatest gift I ever gave myself.
Amazing the freedom that lies within this principle.
It’s one of those “grown up” things I haven’t mastered yet. I try my best but what usually happens is the money I save I give to a non profit or I buy someone in my family a cool gift. Does that count as a budget?
I keep trying. Any suggestions on a good (easy) tracking method/software? We’re really not in any debt expect for mortgage but I really would like to know where the money goes. God has blessed us so we do give back but it would be nice not to feel like the money police sometimes.
Good question. I don’t know of one.
Anyone here use any good budget software?????
mint.com is fantastic. and free. and fantastic.
Quicken! It’s the best one I have used – easy to create the budget and intuitive – easy to learn.
Great post Pete. We just started a budget. We should have done this long ago but it was a big pride thing for me. The basic guy being a guy thing…”I don’t need not stinkin’ budget!” lol. Karen just sat down one day and did it. She waited for me to help but guess how that went. So she took the initiative and just made it happen. It freaked me out at first but now I’m so grateful. She read the Dave Ramsey book and modeled it after some of his principles. I resisted the Dave Ramsey thing for a long time ‘cuz I’d heard so many people say his ideas really worked. (Anytime something works great for a lot of people I tend to resist. More pride…) We’re learning that successful financial management is such a humility thing…big time.
Amazing how that pride messes us up in so many areas of our life.
About a year ago, I took Dave Ramsey’s FPU course and it changed my life and outlook on money. I’m a spreadsheet nerd and look forward to monthly budget time. Weird, I know!
It’s amazing how your outlook changes when you’re out of the red and can give generously.
Thankfully my wife is like yours. Even though we have only been married a few years, we’ve had a budget from day 1. It’s already saved us a bunch of arguments and stupid decisions that we’ve seen our friends make. It’s also freeing because we don’t feel bad about spending when we KNOW we have the money and it won’t hurt us later.
Such a gift.
Yep, I developed my first budget a couple of months ago as a part of the FPU class I’m enrolled in this fall. It’s been great, to be honest.
I don’t worry at the end of the month because I know the money is there and where it went; where it is going to go next month.
I do have a budget, but I don’t let my budget become my master any more than money. There is a risk that our budgets can also become idols that control how we live in negative ways. It is always a balance.
I too have found that through planning and careful decisions I have enormous freedom and opportunity to support The Kingdom. I consistently evaluate what I need to live on, and the rest of my money is God’s to invest in ministries, causes, and people for the long term. I love giving seeing it bring freedom and life to others.
Good warning Sherie.
I do not have a budget but because I do the bookkeeping for our business and pay those bills and our personal ones I have a good handle on money going out. We both get allowances and either you have the money to buy something or you have to wait til next week (my husband hates that!).
But I think for the heck of it I’m going to go through and see what my monthly bills come to and what the monthly “incidentals” are.
A wife that takes care of your finances for you..
Where are you not blessed?
I know, I know. Very blessed. The first area I’m not blessed in would have to be height.
Sure do.
My wife and I have had one since day 1 of our marriage. We even had a partial one while we were dating.
It allowed us to be debt free a year and a half into our marriage.
I’m good at keeping us “in the means” but a budget is a different story.
I really would like just one afternoon of someone sitting down with me to help me budget. It’s hard for us, because we live off of a server’s income. So our income fluctuates.
Like you I let the wife handle the budget, which she is a ninja at. I agree with the author in that keeping a budget is a necessity.