41. Psychology of the Budget

Think of budgeting like a medical checkup: even when it’s tempting to put it off, you need to know what’s wrong in order to treat it. In this episode, Kimberlee explains the psychology behind budgeting — including the benefits of it and the reasons you may find yourself resisting it. She also shares a step-by-step process for creating a budget and explains how this one financial tool can help you build your net worth. Episode Recap:Today we’re going to talk about the psychology behind budgeting (0:56)To help build happiness, eliminate financial fear (2:08)Why do we resist budgeting? (4:43)Benefits of budgeting (6:50)What is net worth, and why does it matter? (8:48)How to calculate your net worth (11:27)5 steps to financial flourishing (14:11)To create a budget, start by understanding your income and expenses (15:21)If your expenses exceed your income, it’s time to reduce your costs (20:25)Your budget is not a one-and-done tool (22:41)Resources:Find every episode of the Fiscal Feminist podcast“The Fiscal Feminist” bookBankrate Net Worth CalculatorMintYou Need A BudgetPocket GuardFTC Budget WorksheetQuotes:“In my opinion, one of the main building blocks to happiness is to eliminate financial fear and the stress that goes along with that fear. So why do I think this? Because when we have financial problems, we’re going to feel stressed, and sometimes we’re even going to feel physically sick because of the stress we’re feeling.”“To me, net worth is about the life and the experiences that you want to have, and having the freedom to pursue those experiences, to achieve the life that you want. Don’t compare your net worth to others.”