So far on this journey you’ve estimated income and expenses, created a budget, filled Envelopes, tracked spending, and had some fun! We hope you’re feeling encouraged on this journey so far, because you’ve done so much.
Earlier this week, we talked about why it’s important to make space for fun spending. So you planned a fun purchase, and then went out and made that purchase. Today’s task is simple, reflect on your fun spending.
Today’s Assignment
- Reflect on your fun spending. How did it feel to spend on fun? Why is it important to you to have a Fun Envelope or category? How do you plan to keep fun spending in your budget going forward?
- Share your thoughts with the community in the comments!
Note for couples: Reflect on what it might mean to keep fun spending in your budget for each person as an individual — and also for you both as a couple. (Hello, Date Night!) Feel free to make any adjustments as you learn about yourselves and each other.
Happy budgeting,
-The Goodbudget Team
7 thoughts on “How Will You Keep Fun In Your Equation?”
It feels good to be able to spend on fun and not feel bad about it! It’s important to me to have a Fun Envelope because being able to have fun sometimes helps sustain me to be able to continue working toward my bigger goals.
We need to do some work on the budget to factor fun in. We sort of have “fun” in other envelopes, like travel. But a “fun” envelope for a movie or a concert, or a meal out or a spontaneous purchase is something for us to work on as we tweak our budget.
I’ve always been on board with the idea of fun. The thing I’m always trying to work on is how to have *contented* fun.
It’s that thing where I don’t quite have enough money to go out for some big dinner or buy something splurgey and I feel like cheating on the budget to do so. Because “Everyone Else” is buying that thing or doing that activity. Why can’t I?
So ultimately, no matter how much fun money I give myself, I always need to remind myself to be content with what I have as well.
Im happier later controlling my spending then overspending w the crowd in the moment. It’s much like choosing to have a hangover or not.
It feels great to be able to have fun and not feel guilty
Once I have a strong budget and am completely or mostly debt free, I’m start looking at and enjoying fun spending.
Don’t have a separate “Fun” Envelope. Instead have separate envelopes for eating out and misc personal expenses (hair, pedi). I also have a separate envelope for a yearly theatre subscription. Those payments will end in Sep. I’m working on paying off my credit card, so once that is accomplished I can re-jig my budget.