Everyone loves summer, right? It was just last week that I was talking with a friend about my summer activities. I told him everything I did and we reflected on how fast summers go. While scientifically time may continue at the same speed, it definitely feels like the shortest season of the year. Obviously, the old adage rings true in this situation: time flies when you’re having fun.
But does fun mean that you should throw your financial planning out the window? It may be hard to squeeze the time in to monitor your expenses as closely and to keep up with your financial goals, but it doesn’t have to be. While it may not seem like budgeting is that important or worth your time when there are more enjoyable alternatives, it is important to stick to your goals and stay on track.
Keep it Simple
One of the best ways to stay engaged in your budgeting is to do what we emphasize all the time – keep it simple. By maintaining a simple budget, you not only spend less time in front of a computer (and therefore more time outside enjoying the nice weather), but you stay motivated about your finances. It’s much easier to keep up with if all it means is 1-2 hours of work each month.
By keeping your budget simple and staying engaged, you also prevent yourself from having to make a larger sacrifice later. Staying on track with your goals is much easier than splurging now and playing catch up. Yet, by keeping it simple, it also means giving yourself a little space to splurge. Nothing major, but if you want to get ice cream on a hot night or go to the zoo on a nice day, then you can and should do that. It’s nothing tedious.
While the summer is long gone now, you can start adopting a simple budget now so that you are prepared to enjoy the coming months. Summer isn’t the only time to enjoy yourselves.
What summer activities did you do?
How do you juggle enjoying yourself and sticking to your budget?