Cashews
“I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.” – Billie Jean King
Last week, budgeting was likened to a diet and PFAdvice commented with “I think that personal finances and eating can correlate quite well with each other. Your metabolism allows you to consume a set amount of calories each day. Take in more calories than that, you’re in trouble. Take in less, and you're fine.”
I have a pretty good grip on my finances. When I have an over indulging slip-up, it usually revolves around food. I have the tendency to binge on any of the treats that Jeanine keeps in the house for company… cashews being the favored indulgence. This isn’t a weekly occurrence otherwise I would weigh 200 lbs but it happens enough that she holds me accountable each and every day. She usually asks the nightly question, “how was your eating today” as we sit down to dinner.
It is interesting to me that I can exert such self-control with my finances and yet this skill doesn’t automatically transfer over to all of life’s compartments. What does transfer and apply are the tricks you can employ to help. When a person loses a considerable amount of weight (present company included), it usually involves some sort of program where we are held accountable with our food intake. Writing it down is a good place to start. Weight Watchers wants it members to count points… other programs require that you count calories. The point is you have to count something.
The same applies with finances. If you spend more than earn, then you’re going to be financially overweight. The first step is to keep track of what you spend whether it is through a program like Quicken or something simple and user-friendly like CashTrack from MoneyPants. Even then, there will still be the occasional slip-up, but hopefully those moments will become more manageable through accountability.
Last week, budgeting was likened to a diet and PFAdvice commented with “I think that personal finances and eating can correlate quite well with each other. Your metabolism allows you to consume a set amount of calories each day. Take in more calories than that, you’re in trouble. Take in less, and you're fine.”
I have a pretty good grip on my finances. When I have an over indulging slip-up, it usually revolves around food. I have the tendency to binge on any of the treats that Jeanine keeps in the house for company… cashews being the favored indulgence. This isn’t a weekly occurrence otherwise I would weigh 200 lbs but it happens enough that she holds me accountable each and every day. She usually asks the nightly question, “how was your eating today” as we sit down to dinner.
It is interesting to me that I can exert such self-control with my finances and yet this skill doesn’t automatically transfer over to all of life’s compartments. What does transfer and apply are the tricks you can employ to help. When a person loses a considerable amount of weight (present company included), it usually involves some sort of program where we are held accountable with our food intake. Writing it down is a good place to start. Weight Watchers wants it members to count points… other programs require that you count calories. The point is you have to count something.
The same applies with finances. If you spend more than earn, then you’re going to be financially overweight. The first step is to keep track of what you spend whether it is through a program like Quicken or something simple and user-friendly like CashTrack from MoneyPants. Even then, there will still be the occasional slip-up, but hopefully those moments will become more manageable through accountability.
posted by Nina Smith at 6:30 AM
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