Staying in Budget While Living Large, How We’ve Done It?

Staying in Budget While Living Large, How We've Done It?

Before my husband and I decided to live on one income so I can stay home with the kids, we were a little apprehensive. We had a plan. We formulated a household budget. We redefined our goals and even set our family’s mission and vision. How come nothing still feels certain it’s going to pull through?

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,

    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.  

We sought Him and found discernment. Then it happened like it was just meant to be. I found my own niche and voice at home. My husband said he has never felt happier. I see my kids smile more often. How did we do it? I mean, really got to do it since I am definitely not the most disciplined creature on earth. I love to shop and give. I also don’t know much about money but I tried to the best of my ability to grasp any helpful information I can find to teach me about managing our finances. And here’s how we do it: (Some of it may or may not work for you but it will never hurt to try. And if you know of any tips that helped you pave the way to financial success, I would love to hear from you.)

1. Of course, we prayed and asked for Prudence.

-We could never have made it this far without God guiding us through. It was His plan all along so it happened. Seek Him first before anything else.

2. There is no “his way” or “my way”.

-Although we have different opinions about money, my husband and I agree on one thing, our priorities. We both understand that we can’t pay off the house ASAP if we don’t budget. Setting our priorities straight is a breath of fresh air. The kids noticed our positive demeanor and they welcomed the change with open hearts.

3.Good Budget app or Regular Envelopes

-This is a phone app that tracks our spending. Two of my good friends introduced this to me and I’m hooked. I like this better than the regular envelope system since there is transparency. My husband and I can both see how much money we have left in a month by checking online no matter where he travels. My daughter uses the envelope system since she only has 3 portions to allocate, The Give, The Save and The Spend.

4.CASH is not old school

-We used to worship the credit card rewards. We always paid every dollar off at the end of the month so we get fat rewards and not a single charge. We felt glorious for getting money from the credit card company instead of them getting money from us. That’s what we thought for a long time but NOT a good idea. As long as there is a card to swipe, our weekly grocery shopping always costs us more than the budgeted amount due to its convenience and accessibility. With CASH, no more money left, then no food to buy! So we are committed to only spend what we need.

5. Automate the Rest.

-What do we pay automatically? Savings, Investments and all other important monthly payments, like gas and electricity. I can’t tell you enough how much ease automating monthly bills can add ease to your life. No more hassle of check writing. No more extra charges for buying checks and stamps. No more sleepless nights of thinking, “Have I already sent the check?” And lastly, no more human errors, say for instance, writing the wrong amount in the check (Yes. Don’t be surprised. I did that before!). Most importantly, the savings and investments can absolutely be saved and invested. You know what I mean.

6. BULK and SCRATCH are keys.

-We buy almost everything in bulk: flour, rice, soy sauce, vinegar, apples, etc. Then I cook and freeze in bulk and from scratch: our pancake mix (which of course, a recipe we found from the internet) and all other cake mixes. Hungry children will never stay hungry in our household because they can always find their favorite meals to thaw and microwave if that day’s menu does not satisfy their cravings. I love feeding my family from the labor of my own hands. So, on my next project: homemade cleaning solution, detergent and some beauty blends. Let’s see how much more we can save.

7. GOODWILL is good… so good.

-My daughter carries herself well enough that nobody can tell her outfits are mostly from Goodwill.

8. Ibotta, Checkout 51, Shopmium, Swagbucks, Shopkick and Walmart Savings Catcher

-These are the apps I use to get cash back (on top of the coupons I gather) when I shop. There’s plenty to share so I’m writing another post just for this. I so love these apps! I was able to save cash for all my Christmas shopping, get free Starbucks (even treat friends in Starbucks, again for FREE), rent free movies from Red Box and get extra for eating out. So really, you don’t have to devoid yourself of any fun and entertainment just because you’re on budget.

9. Talking about free fun and entertainment, there’s a lot to think about

-When it’s close to the end of the month and we have more money left for groceries, we then order PIZZA and park our truck to watch kids or adults play baseball, kickball or whatever. The idea is for the kids to be able to have that feeling that they’re rooting for a team.

-Or hop on the truck to watch small planes take off.

-Ride a bike as we approach the beautiful sunset.

-Picnic close to the lake.

-Visit to the library.

-Talk about our day on our front yard.

10. We still write Checks for Church

-Since the kids are now giving a portion of their money (from their Give Envelope) to the church, we want them to see us giving our tithes so we use our checks for this reason. We want them to know the importance of giving back the glory and honor, love and sacrifice to God.

So there you got it! I have poured all the little things that make our world complete. When the word “budget” seems absurd and being frugal makes it feel paralyzing, think of it this way: without it, we can never have enough. Living large for us is not getting everything we want. It is in fact, what we already have: our kids, our spouses, our humble home, the little laughter and the amount of calming silence we share are more than enough.

Enjoy the journey of budgeting and don't forget to fill everything with love and laughter. God bless you more and more!

Love always,

Maria (Ehma) Porpio