205. John's Budgeting 101 Series #13: Conclusion
In conclusion, budgeting is a lifelong process. It need not be a chore, but a useful habit in life. The starting is difficult, but once you are on a roll, the momentum will keep you going, with only the minorest of pushes required every once in a while. So all the best in your budgeting journey, i hope you have benefited from this series. Until the next series, stay safe and stay in line with your budgeting habit!
204. John's Budgeting 101 Series #12: Maintenance Mode
Like everything in life, there will be times (days, months, even years) of inactivity, or in other words, times of calm. Well, periods of non issues are great, there isn't much that needs to change in your budget. But remember not to get complacent. Keep yourself updated in terms of your budget by reviewing it every quarter or so instead of monthly. Remember: staying prepared is much more preferable than rushing about like a headless chicken if we are unprepared when a sudden
203. John's Budgeting 101 Series #11: Changing Priorities
Over time, as if you are steering a ship, small changes will help you steer your life and where you want it to eventually go. Suddenly, a significant change happens in your life, it may be happy or otherwise. You are getting married, you are having a child, you have a change in your occupation. Suddenly you realise your main priorities in life are changing. That would mean that your budget is most likely to change as well. Go to the top of this budgeting exercise again, but t
202. John's Budgeting 101 Series #10: Making Adjustments
Take a stock check every month or so. Fix a day, say in the last week of every month. Look at what you have been spending on thus far in that month. Check if what you decided to change in the previous month is taking place. How do you feel? Managing well? Is that change meaningful? Did it change your expenditure habits? If it did not go well, don't punish yourself. Take it as a temporary setback, a challenge that needs to be overcome, and make a decision to change it now. If
201. John's Budgeting 101 Series #9: Monitoring
After making some decisions to adjust your expenses and looking for new streams of income, monitor yourself for the next few months, see if the decisions you made were effective. If yes, keep it up and make those changes permanent. If not, you may want to fine tune the decision and monitor again. This is a lifelong exercise to make your income-expense ratio better. It takes time and there's no perfect solution or state. As you grow older, your income levels will change, your
