Chapter 4

BUDGETS ARE YOUR BATTLE-AX

The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.

SUN TZU

TOWARD THE END of our debt-slaying journey, I had an enlightening encounter that has forever changed the way I view paying off debt. My eureka wasn’t found in a textbook or even a sermon. It was found in the mundane simplicity of everyday life. I was running errands, which included a quick trip to pick up a prescription at my local superstore. I planned to zip in and zip right back out. But on my way to the pharmacy, my eyes wandered to Christmas clearance items in a center aisle.

I love a good bargain —always have, always will —so the “90 Percent Off” sign drew me in like a tractor beam. Almost immediately my eyes zeroed in on a stack of cherry-red placemats that had been marked down to nineteen cents each.

Some people spend their lives devoted to curing cancer. Some people design skyscrapers. Some people are naturally inclined toward relieving suffering. Apparently my spiritual gifts include identifying an amazing deal in under fifteen seconds. Did I mention how well those placemats would match our kitchen, which is red and yellow? On top of that, they were plastic —easy to clean and great for the princesses! And four placemats could be mine, all for less than eighty cents!

What should I do? Alas, I am not the Queen of Really Cheap —I am the Queen of Free. And even though I’d spend under a dollar, I knew that, technically, this was an “extra” sort of purchase. We were literally putting every extra penny we had toward finishing the race of paying off debt. I already had perfectly good placemats that I loved. Bottom line: those placemats were a “want” —something I’d buy on impulse —not any sort of need. I mean, c’mon, no one really needs placemats, right? My world wasn’t going to crash and burn without them.

Saying no is challenging, but it is the most successful way to pay off debt.

Even though it may sound utterly ridiculous, I walked away without the nineteen-cent steal of a deal. Here’s when my epiphany about our journey locked in. I knew that if I could say no to nineteen cents, I could also say no to $1.90 or $19 or $190 or even $1,900. It’s all the same.

Saying no is challenging, but it is the most successful way to pay off debt. Guess what? I was just fine without those placemats. And as I noted on my blog later that night, we were seventy-six cents closer to paying off our last student loan payment because of that decision.

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Once again, paying off debt is not complex; it’s just not easy.

DEBT-SLAYING DUO

DANIEL AND EMILY, BOTH 29

PARENTS OF DALLAS, 5

PAID OFF $91,000

How I wish Brian and I had caught the vision to get out of debt when we were in our midtwenties like Daniel and Emily! With so much of their lives ahead of them as a young married couple, they won’t face the same struggles many families overwhelmed with debt experience. Instead, they can focus on building a future for their son, Dallas, and enjoy the many gifts God has blessed their family with.

Why slay the debt dragon?

Perhaps like you, Daniel and Emily were inspired by a friend’s family who had also begun paying off debt. That inspiration quickly turned into a fire, fueling them to slay their own personal debt dragon. This young family also dreamed of financial freedom for their young son. Once they began seriously pursuing their goal, it took only twenty-five months for Daniel and Emily to pay off their $91,000 obligation.

What surprised them most about paying off debt?

The whole concept of being debt-free and paying with cash seemed like common sense for Daniel and Emily. Like many people, they had simply never stopped to contemplate the possibility of a life without debt. This family was also pleasantly surprised at how quickly they could pay down their balance when they had a clear plan for their money. Strengthened by being on the same page financially, Daniel and Emily delighted in their marriage. Fighting about money became a thing of the past as they began communicating more clearly and working together.

What was most challenging?

Midway through their journey, Daniel and Emily felt a call to expand their family —only to face the pressures of infertility. The emotional and financial challenges of battling two enemies at once was wearisome. Keeping their eyes focused on God’s plan for their finances helped them both gather strength and courage during a heart-wrenching experience. Thankfully, they were able to pay cash for medical treatments and avoid going further into the red.

How did they celebrate?

Like so many others, Daniel and Emily decided to make a “Debt-free!” scream on Dave Ramsey’s radio show part of their celebration. They enjoyed the opportunity to share their story with friends and family who listened in to cheer with them. The chance to thank Dave was high on their priority list too.

Their encouragement and advice for you

Today is your best day to begin paying off debt. Daniel and Emily don’t want you to hesitate: “Just do it! What do you have to lose? Nothing. What do you have to gain? Everything.” Feeling frustrated or weary about where you are financially? Even if you have already established a budget, Daniel and Emily recommend you comb through it again to see what other adjustments you might make. It can feel like getting a raise when you reexamine where you can find additional dollars. This wise couple adds, “Anything worth doing takes time, effort, and struggle. Don’t give up.”

How has paying off debt changed their marriage?

Daniel and Emily say that paying off debt brought a complete paradigm shift in how they view money within their marriage. Having a common goal brought purpose and intentionality to their finances while bringing their hearts closer together, which, they say, “enabled us to achieve true financial peace and freedom for our family.”

[Insert Debt-Slaying Story 4.1 somewhere after this point in the chapter]

Writing It Down

I’ve never met anyone pursuing an extraordinary goal who didn’t have a written plan. Rarely does someone stumble into greatness. Whether it’s training for an Ironman Triathlon or starting a business, the path to success demands writing down your plan before you begin. When it comes to personal finance, that written intentionality takes the form of a budget.

I know, I know. No one likes to hear this notorious b word. I credit it to an American spirit of “‘No one is going to tell me what to do with my money. Even me!’ #merica.” Perhaps that’s what makes us immediately push back whenever someone suggests we budget our financial resources.

Yet here’s the truth: until you shift your lens on budgeting, you’ll never find true success or freedom in your finances or dig your way out of debt. Maybe it would help to recognize that a budget doesn’t act as your boss. A budget isn’t a school-yard bully who steals your pocket change and tortures you with a financial wedgie. A budget isn’t there to make your life miserable, take away your freedom, or even stop you from spending. In fact, its purpose is quite the opposite.

Until you shift your lens on budgeting, you’ll never find true success or freedom in your finances or dig your way out of debt.

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Budgets are butterflies. It’s girly, I know, but stay with me here.

Budgets give you wings to fly. Budgets put stops in place to keep you from making purchases you’ll later regret. Budgets let you exhale at the register total, knowing you have enough in your checking account to cover the expense. Budgets are not fingers tightly squeezed around your neck; they actually give you room to breathe. Budgets are not handcuffs. Budgets are the key. Budgets are not the chains that bind you. Budgets are chain breakers.

Oh, dear Money-Saving Lords and Ladies, how long it took for me to learn that a budget was not going to take away my happiness. It was there to help me enjoy true fun, and even better, true freedom.

The fact that a budget can be as light and delicate as a butterfly and yet as heavy and sharp as a battle-ax is one of the mysteries of the universe. A budget is certainly your most effective debt-slaying tool. With your budget, you can chop away at debt while also shielding the dollars you earn from being swallowed up by a black hole every month.

But what if you have never budgeted before? What if you have absolutely no idea where to begin? Or what if you have tried to budget repeatedly, only to come up with a big, fat fail every single time? I’m oh-so-glad you asked.

If you’ve never budgeted before, it is extremely awkward. Imagine trying to waltz without a single dance lesson . . . with a walrus . . . while wearing roller skates. Yep, that awkward. If you’re married, even talking about finances may seem like a new and threatening endeavor for you and your spouse. I once instructed a large group of women to have their first budget meeting with their husbands completely naked, just to take off that awkward edge.[16] If you already feel emotionally and financially stripped bare, you might as well be physically stripped bare too. Plus, it’s really hard to fight with your spouse when you’re naked. (Ahem, not that I’ve tried.)

I digress. If you haven’t the foggiest clue about how to budget or even how much you are spending per month, I suggest you begin by analyzing your finances. If you are already a budgeting pro, this is not an excuse to flip blindly through these pages or take a nap. You might be surprised to pick up a new strategy or two to add to your already rockin’ budget ninja skills.

Four Basic Beginning Steps of Budgeting

  1. Write down exactly how much money you earn each month. Whether your income is regular or sporadic, you should be able to make a good “guesstimate” of how much money you bring in and when it typically arrives. Use old pay stubs and even last year’s tax returns as you begin to chart how much you earn. If you have irregular income, don’t immediately freak out when you build your budget and it redlines. Freak-outs are never helpful. Instead, take a few cleansing breaths and realize that if you are intentional, those redlines will disappear. Knowing when you will have a shortfall will help you reel in your spending and keep you from going further under.
  2. Collect your receipts and bills for a thirty- to sixty-day time frame. Keep a record of every single penny you spend for at least a month. If you don’t currently use an online app or budgeting software to monitor your spending, at the end of each day simply deposit your family’s bills and receipts in a manila envelope or a basket on top of the refrigerator. Then, after your agreed-upon window of time, evaluate those receipts together.
  3. As you’re tracking, it’s important that you spend like you normally do. Don’t fall into one of two traps during this exercise:
    1. a) Try to become Ebenezer Scrooge, ratcheting down every category of expense because “we’re going to be on budget if it kills us.” Your outcome will be skewed, and you’ll end up setting your budget at an unattainably low level that you will never be able to live within again.
    2. b) Spend like a Real Housewife (of any city) because you are afraid you’ll never have enough money in your shoe budget. You will once again end up with an unrealistic expectation, where you budget way more than necessary for unnecessary items.
    3. Evaluate and then hatch a plan. Once you’ve determined the influx and outflow of money in your household, you can begin to streamline your expenses. In what areas can you cut back? When are your bills due each month? How does this influence your budget? Can you call any of the companies to change those due dates to provide financial breathing space? This vital step determines your direction in slaying the debt dragon.

Here’s a royal tip for success: Schedule a time specifically for meeting to discuss the bills and receipts when this exercise begins. Make sure you have no other commitments and power down all electronics. Come to this meeting with an open heart, prepared to learn where you spend. If you are gunning for your spouse to be the loser and you to be the winner at spending (or lack thereof), you both will be losers. Also, laying your hands palm up on the table will help you let go of your anxiety. I know, it sounds weird. But try it.

What Tools Should You Use to Budget?

The sorts of tools you use to budget will depend on your natural gifts and accessibility. By the way, this doesn’t mean that those who claim that budgeting falls outside their natural gifts have an excuse not to budget. Everyone must plan how they will spend the dollars they bring into their household each month. Not having a plan is still a plan. Not budgeting is a plan to simply throw your hard-earned dollars up in the air, hoping for the best. If your debt dragons are to be slain, you must budget. It’s simply not an optional part of your debt-slaying journey.

Not budgeting is a plan to simply throw your hard-earned dollars up in the air, hoping for the best.

Callout 4.3

Some people prefer using the traditional pencil-and-paper method. Others are more comfortable with technology and use software or online apps. The key is to find a method that works and that you understand —even enjoy using —so you’re not discouraged and tempted to quit the process before you’ve barely begun. Most important, if a budgeting method has failed for you in the past, it is highly unlikely to work again, and you need to consider a new path. I love Proverbs 26:11: “As a dog eats its own vomit, so fools recycle silliness.” That wording may have a high icky factor, but it’s a visual metaphor hammering home the point that it’s ridiculous to continue a failed method of budgeting. Don’t return to a pencil-and-paper method if you constantly forget to log your expenses or are bad at math. Don’t attempt using an online app or computer software if you are technologically challenged. Set yourself up for success by choosing a budgeting method that fits your family’s distinct personality, lifestyle, and gifts.

I begin each morning by sitting down with a strong cup of coffee as I reconcile the prior day’s expenses and glance over what bills will be due soon.[17] Brian and I have always used a software program like Quicken to forecast our income and expenses. (Isn’t forecast a much nicer word than budget?) If you’re a traditionalist, there’s a free, simple but well-thought-out budget form printable on my website, as well as a money expenditure log. Print it out, sharpen your pencil, and begin.

How Far Out Should You Budget?

If you have never budgeted before, take small steps in this process. Don’t try to make a five-year plan or even a one-year budget on your first attempt. Instead, get a month’s worth of income and expenses down on paper. It may feel awkward and perhaps scary at first. Don’t quit if your budget redlines because you are spending more than you are making. Quitting won’t solve your debt problem. Facing the facts head-on might just help, though. Be brave, Money-Saving Lords and Ladies. You can do this.

Once you have developed a knack for budgeting one month at a time, begin to look at your budget through a quarterly or even biannual lens. When you do this, you’ll begin to spot irregular expenses like insurance payments that aren’t billed on a monthly basis, seasonal expenses like back-to-school purchases, birthdays, and one of the biggest budget busters of all, the holidays. I am most comfortable budgeting six months at a time. Doing so doesn’t feel as overwhelming as trying to chart out the entire year, but it still helps me plan for events and expenses that don’t occur every month.

It can be difficult to remember exactly what you spent last year on back-to-school expenses or Christmas, especially if you haven’t kept solid records. Think about digging through your old bank statements if you have them. Most bank websites archive statements for months and often years at a time, so you can easily print them out even if the paper copies are long gone. If you can’t come up with much data, determine to keep better records this year so that next year’s budget will be accurate and you will not be caught off guard.

No matter how often you undertake budgeting, you must have regular household meetings about your family’s finances.

No matter how often you undertake budgeting, you must have regular household meetings about your family’s finances. Constant communication about the flow of money in and out of our bank account was the key component of paying off $127K. At first we met at least weekly to look over when we anticipated income, as well as what bills needed to be paid and when. A couple of years into our debt-slaying journey, the King of Free took on two extra jobs, which resulted in irregular income. Each time this income arrived, we sat down as soon as it cleared to determine where that money should be spent. Typically it went directly toward our debt-repayment plan, but sometimes it was allocated for unexpected household or medical expenses. The more we communicated about our finances, the more naturally those conversations came up outside of our regularly scheduled budget meeting too. Before we knew it, money was no longer a divisive area of our marriage but one that unified us instead.

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FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WEEKLY BUDGET MEETING

  1. Eliminate distractions. Kids, electronics, phones, pets, social media, and looming deadlines all have one thing in common when it comes to your money: they seem intent on destroying your ability to accurately budget. Be sure that when you and your spouse sit down to budget, you create an environment geared for success. Make sure you haven’t planned your meeting during a big game or a heavy homework night. See that the kids and pets are sleeping or otherwise occupied, and power down all your devices. If you are fighting the temptation to glance at your news feed or see which reality-show contestant has been eliminated in dramatic fashion, you will lose your focus and accomplish little. Your success (or lack thereof) is guaranteed only when distractions have been eliminated.
  2. Share a snack. Life is better lived with something delicious to nosh on together. This doesn’t mean heading to a fine-dining establishment or ordering a pizza. Keep it simple. We love stovetop popcorn. You might dish up ice cream. Sharing a snack is a simple transitional activity that allows you to escape the worries of the day, ease awkwardness, and dive into a deeper discussion. Plus, it’s never a good idea to make major financial decisions when you are hungry.
  3. Come prepared. Vague generalities and accusations destroy financial harmony. You’ll find more success if you dream big together but also have an action plan with concrete facts and figures. Whether it’s a stack of receipts, online research, or charts and graphs, bring those items to your budget meeting to clarify your goals. What exactly is your debt-slaying goal? What are the totals you are seeking to eliminate? Do you want to go on a fabulous vacation next year? Exactly how much will it cost? Looking to purchase a new car or household appliance? Which model, what year, and where’s the best place to buy it? Make a plan, but be flexible enough to let go of it if the two of you disagree. Coming prepared does not mean bringing a list of grievances in an attempt to overwhelm or beat down your spouse. Focus on your own behaviors and goals, not on trying to change the heart and habits of your best guy or gal.
  4. Be teachable. This is perhaps the most challenging of all methods to improve your budget meetings. Deep within us dwells the desire to be right every single time. But the truth is, none of us is always right about everything. When you can begin to see budget meetings as a cooperative process in which you can both win with money rather than as an opportunity for you to prove your point or get your way, you’ll truly begin to experience harmony both in your finances and in marriage. Before the meeting begins, ask yourself, What could I learn tonight? Where do I need to change? Allow those two simple questions to guide your heart and hands, and you are bound for budget success.
  5. Dream big together. One of the biggest temptations you’ll struggle with during a budget meeting is to nitpick each other over unnecessary expenses or poor choices. Avoid this temptation like the plague. Instead, dream big together. Ask the question, “What would we do with $___ a month if it were not being used for a car payment?” or “How could we make a difference in the world if we weren’t saddled with debt?” Certainly, you have the hard, cold task of making sure you spend only what you make. But that doesn’t mean you can’t look beyond your current circumstances to catch a glimpse of what could be.

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What Categories Should You Include in Your Budget?

Oh, how I wish I could give you a boilerplate list of how much you should spend in every area of your life. But the categorization of expenses and amounts in each category of a budget will look different for each family. So much depends on where you live, the number of individuals in your household, your income, how much you currently owe to whom, and a litany of other wild and crazy variables. What I can give you is a basic list of categories that you shouldn’t forget to budget for on a monthly basis. Again, it might look a little different for your family, but this is certainly a framework to build upon. I have ranked the following categories of expense in the order of need so you can determine if there are areas to cut or keep, depending on how much money is left.

Once we became debt-free, all of the debt repayment categories disappeared from our budget, and we added other areas like:

Using a Zero-Based Budget

While we were paying off debt, Brian and I began using this strategy.[20] Essentially, a zero-based budget simply means that your goal is to “spend” each penny you bring in every month. This might mean intentionally removing extra funds from your checking account and placing them in envelopes —either physical ones or other accounts at your bank —to make sure that at the end of the month, every single penny is spent or saved. Why is this such a big deal?

Here’s the thing: It’s not enough to save money at the grocery store with coupons. It’s not enough to save scads of coin by making your own laundry detergent. It’s not enough to circle in red the amount you saved through your killer bargain hunting, often shown at the bottom of your receipt. It’s not even enough to come in under budget for fun categories of spending like dining out or entertainment. You see, if you leave any extra cash in your checking account at all, I promise you it will grow legs and walk to Target. You must do something with the money you save. Give it a purpose —whether that is paying off debt or saving for a fabulous vacation is up to you. Without a purpose, money will vanish and you will be unable to give an account for what you even purchased. This is why the zero-based budget strategy is essential.

If you leave any extra cash in your checking account at all, I promise you it will grow legs and walk to Target.

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Just like paying off debt, this strategy is far from complex, but it’s not always easy. For those of us who are control freaks, having a zero or even a redline at the end of the month is terrifying. We like a little cushion in the budget, just to be sure that we don’t inadvertently overspend or —heavens to Betsy! —bounce a check. If you resonate with that, I completely commiserate. That’s why I think building a small cushion of twenty-five to fifty dollars in your checking account is okay. However, don’t be surprised when you overindulge just a bit and that amount disappears without your knowing where it really went.

Creating a Sporadic Income “Hit List”

If you are blessed with a monetary gift, bonus, or unexpected irregular income, you need to create a “hit list” for it. This simply means that you have a plan for such funds so they don’t disappear into thin air. Whether it all goes toward debt repayment or you use it for necessary expenses beyond your regular budget, you need a plan. Be careful to use the sporadic income on items that really matter —say, to purchase a new refrigerator because yours is about to explode rather than to pick up new throw pillows because your current ones are so last season. While you never want to “count on” money that isn’t in your hands, this hit list will allow you to have a plan for funds that arrive unexpectedly. As I mentioned, we had a combination of known and unknown income while paying off debt. We still do, which is why having a hit list is so crucial.

Perhaps all of your income is sporadic in nature. In that case, your hit list is your budget. You spend funds in the categories by order of importance. Having a sporadic income can make budgeting more challenging, but it is not impossible. Put away those “but we can’t do that because we don’t know what we are going to make next month” excuses. Your expenses don’t change even if your income does. You must know how much you are spending and make a plan to live within your limits even if you can’t produce a statement with income amounts.

What about Cash-Based Budgeting and All Those Envelopes?

Raise your hand if you’ve ever made an impulse buy. From candy bars to clearance clothes, I’m tempted every time I hit the grocery store to purchase an item (or five) that isn’t on my list. As I mentioned before, I have this uncanny ability to find ridiculously awesome deals. It can be wielded for the forces of good when I’m helping someone else with their special purchases in stores or on the web. (I’m an online ninja. It’s ridiculous. What are you looking for right now? Maybe I can help.) Such deals were more difficult for me to pass up before we began using a cash-based budgeting system. After all, I wasn’t spending that much more than I had planned on, right?

When I use my debit card rather than cash at the grocery store, I’m much more likely to place extra items in my cart, whether they’re on my list or not. I don’t feel the need to keep an accurate running total of my purchases in my head. Though I’m never grossly over budget, pulling out the plastic inevitably means I don’t keep my spending reined in as tightly as I should, locking in on the absolute bottom dollar.

So what’s the big deal of going five or fifteen dollars over budget if you have the funds to cover it? Sure, you won’t overdraw your account. Sure, it’s not that much money. Sure, we’ve all made an impulse purchase now and then. But there’s no escaping this reality: overspending with your debit card will keep you from achieving other dreams and goals.

That’s why a cash envelope system can play the role of good cop when you’re shopping. By putting the cash you’ve budgeted for household expenses like groceries and clothing in envelopes, you will be much less tempted to spring for impulse purchases that will divert funds from priorities.

The cash envelope system has been around for a very long time. Some sources suggest it gained popularity during the Great Depression. In any event, buying items with cash only is not a recent phenomenon. Keep in mind that general-purpose credit cards didn’t gain popularity until the 1960s.

In our world of comfort and ease, almost all of us reach in our wallets to grab the credit or debit card for our purchases. The idea of actually going to the ATM to withdraw cash or, worse yet, going into the bank to speak to a bank teller while cashing a check? Groan. Ain’t nobody got time for that, right? Wrong. Paying with cash saves you more money than any coupon ever will. You spend more money when you use plastic —even if it’s a debit card —rather than cash, nearly every single time.[21]

But as with any new habit, you have to be intentional about starting a cash-based budgeting system if you want it to stick. Here are a few pointers that may help:

Find an attractive envelope system. Yes, envelope systems should be practical. Don’t try recycling the oversized envelope from that magazine offer. You don’t want to have to fold your cash or struggle to put bills in or take them out. In addition, I have found that I fare much better with envelopes that I find inspiring or pleasant in appearance. On my site, QueenofFree.net, you can find a set of Printable Cash Envelopes with an envelope for every standard spending category. For inspiration, a different challenging but inspiring quotation is included on the back of each envelope. I designed them to be bright and cheery; in fact, they are red and yellow to match my kitchen so they look attractive hanging on the wall. I also love a company called Thrifty Zippers, which offers attractive wallets for men and women, with divisions for all of your budget categories.[22]

Ease into the process. If you are not ready to go plastic-less in every category just quite yet, I encourage you to spend only cash at the grocery store. Once you see what a difference it makes, I suspect you’ll want to expand your cash experiment to dining out, entertainment, clothing, gifts, and vacations, too. Before you know it, you’ll be a currency champion gymnast, sticking the landing and scoring a perfect 10 every time, with exact change to boot.

Use online bill pay or checks when it makes more sense to do so. My guess is that your electric company would begin to question your sanity if you sent them a big, fat envelope of dollar bills each month. Setting up automatic withdrawals or paying via the Internet sometimes has its place. And yes, the debit card is oh-so-handy at the gas pump (especially when you have little ones in their car seats). I use my debit card for booking hotels and flights, too. Obviously, using a debit card is not a major violation of the cash system, but you should handle it with care. Make sure to enter exact amounts into your budget log within twenty-four hours of purchase so that you don’t forget how much you have spent.

Budgeting Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

You will find that you gain skill in budgeting the more you do it. Just like learning to ride a bike or play a musical instrument, the longer you practice budgeting, the greater success you will gain.

Even so, I am certain you will slip up in the budgeting process sometimes. Here’s my vulnerable moment: even though we paid off all of that debt, we still sometimes fail to plan for an expense. School yearbooks get me every single year. You will sometimes underestimate the amount you need to spend. Your sump pump will run all night long, and the electric bill will be ridiculously high (yep, that happened last month). It’s okay. Adjust your spending. Cut back. Look for a temporary job. Sell something you own. Then get back on the budgeting horse and try again. Not having a plan will get you nowhere fast. Doing something is always better than doing nothing, even if you fall short.

Budgeting is also a great reminder that everything you’ve been given is a gift from God. That includes

your spouse

your children

your income

your talents

your job

your home

your odd assortment of canned goods

These are all valuable treasures He’s entrusted to your safe care. In Proverbs 21:20, King Solomon offers a wise perspective on the role of budgeting in your life: “Valuables are safe in a wise person’s home; fools put it all out for yard sales.” Budgeting is the contemplative practice of guaranteeing we aren’t placing these blessings in yard sales. A budget helps us track the valuables (our income) God has blessed us with and keeps us from making rash purchases or spending more than we make. When we don’t track how much money is entering and exiting our home, in a sense we are playing the role of the fool, metaphorically putting our valuables out in the front yard, on sale for one hundredth of what they’re actually worth.

Your enemy is debt, not the budget.

{Callout 4.6}

Your enemy is debt, not the budget. Sure, a budget might look big and scary at the onset of your journey. But I promise that after you slay your debt dragon, your budget will be the trusty sidekick every warrior needs. Frodo needed Samwise. Batman had Robin. The Lone Ranger relied on Tonto. You need your budget. Stop seeing this tool as an adversary. Begin to look at it as your essential, long-term battle companion.

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