Hi there! Welcome to another day of Budget Bootcamp. Today’s homework might take a little bit longer than some of the days so far, but it’s a partner assignment that’s worth the time.
At Goodbudget, we love to break the taboo of talking about money. Talking with people we trust about budgeting helps us stay accountable to the goals we set. And it can also deepen our relationships, especially if we’re working towards the same goals.
We asked Lisa if she involved others when she was creating her first budget, and here’s what she said:
“My husband and I talked about [our budget] together. My sisters and I talked about it [too] and often compared notes. We’d say things like: ‘How are you doing on your food budget? I just don’t think this amount is realistic. How are you making yours work?’”
We bet that those conversations with her husband and sisters encouraged her, motivated her, and gave her helpful perspective!
Today’s Assignment
- If you’re budgeting solo, think about who you’d like to have partner with you on this budgeting journey, and then ask them if they’re willing to be a listening ear for you. Give them a call or have coffee together! Brief them on what you’ve done so far and how they can help you succeed with your budget. Maybe they’ll even join you too!
- If you’re budgeting as a couple, your significant other is your teammate. When budgeting as a team, it’s helpful to talk about expectations early on. What kind of spending requires first consulting each other? What kind of spending is okay without that step? Will you each have your own Envelopes for things like Fun? Or will it all be shared? Talking through things like these now will save you from headaches later on.
- How did these conversations go? What did you talk about? Were you nervous? Excited? Tell the community in the comments below.
Happy budgeting,
-The Goodbudget Team
112 thoughts on “Break the Taboo”
Budgeting solo but discussing with my son who still is living at home. He starts working (again) on Tuesday so he’ll begin contributing to the household expenses soon. I figured he should be aware of the real cost of living here so that once this house is afloat again he can plan for moving out and know his real month to month expenses.
They went well. We are dividing and conquering.
I already had this conversation with my wife when we started budgeting using Excel and it was hard for me very humbling, but we are now on the same page and on the right track, looking for more tools to be successful