From Avoidance to Action: How to Build a Budget that Works
I ask a simple question, but the response is often the same: "Do you have a budget?" "A what?" "Do you have a spending plan so you know where your money is going?" "Ummm... no." "How do you keep track of your money?" "We don't." That feeling of dread, of wanting to keep your head in the sand—I can understand it. It feels easier to just worry about money when a bill collector is calling. But they will call, and sometimes they will even take a piece of your income. Working in Human Resources and Payroll, I saw it happen on a regular basis. I would call an employee to let them know a garnishment had come in, and the common response was, "What do you mean? I was never informed about it," or, "Which company is garnishing now?" Not tracking your money and not paying your bills will only lead to more problems. In my own family, there were periods when our income didn't cover our expenses. We didn't b...