My budgeting journey began in 2020, just a few months after my husband passed. Prior to his death, we never budgeted or had a handle on our finances as a couple. As someone who was financially aware since my first job at 16, having that financial chaos was a stressor for me. My husband had racked up credit card debt on multiple cards, had his motorcycle repossessed due to non-payment, and we had to take out several payday loans just to get by. We were constantly having to borrow money from family to pay rent and bills. I had to hold my breath every time I got to the checkout line at the grocery store hoping there was enough money in the bank account. We were living worse than paycheck to paycheck.

 After a lot of tweaking and learning the ebbs and flows of budgeting, it was a night and day difference. I was able to build my budget based on the things that were most important to me. I could afford to have monthly family outings and dinners with my kids. We were able to take a couple family vacations, and I had my first adult only vacation. I was able to save for those big whammy expenses, like Christmas and birthdays, over the course of the year. I actually had money to put into a savings account. I made my money work for me and the lifestyle I wanted.

 Even when I lost my job in June 2024 due to outsourcing, my ability to build an emergency fund is what has kept me afloat. It has allowed me to spend more time with my never-ceasing-to-stop-growing teenagers, get some long overdue projects done around the house, and build a business where I get to help others on their own financial journey. As a solo parent, budgeting has been an absolute godsend. It has become such second nature that it’s essentially on autopilot.