Find Your Essentials

Over the past 5 years I've followed a handful of personal financial bloggers in and around my age group, because I could relate or liked how they approached things. However, as my life changes with having kids and their needs, living in a different location, their tips or ideas become more unrelatable or they have become too outspoken that it's hard to stay focused on what brought you to following them.

So many budgeting apps & tips have become very strong opinions of how to spend your money that it drives me nuts. I love the visual of using budgeting apps. And yes, I have beliefs on setting my budget. But no one's budget is quite the same, their situation is a bit different.

Big ones are:

• Don't go out to eat, buy coffee, etc. (latte factor)
• Pay only with cash.
• Cut out non-essentials.
• Don't get a credit card.

I do budget, but dude my mental health needs to be good too. Coffee is something I find essential, so I am going to get it. Paying with cash only loses out on interest rewards I can get by using my debt & credit cards. I find coffee as an essential & my husband finds cable to watch sporting events as essential (cheaper than going somewhere else to watch them & have to buy food & drinks to be there). Don't get a credit card? Time value of money!! I pay it off when it's due, but during that period I have the money in savings gaining interest & I am also getting credit card rewards. So sorry, going to use it. 

All I'm saying is budget to you & your needs. Know your level & keep your sanity, don't cut yourself down so much you never have fun!