Budgets

Dan and I have now committed to a much stricter budget due to a hike in some of student loans. We sat down yesterday to itemize our incoming and outgoing money. I combed through our bank statements to see where exactly our money has been going. It's amazing when you actually sit down and read through it all. It's so easy and convenient to whip out a debit or credit card and not really think about the deductions to your bank account. We have a much better idea of the amount we have after we have paid the necessities: mortgage, student loans, car insurance, car payment, charitable contributions, retirement/investments, internet and phone (although technically not a necessity), utilities, etc. In addition I am going to itemize each grocery trip to see how much things cost and where we can cut back. Being on a budget isn't a bad thing, it's good to be aware of where our money goes. I heard a preacher say if you wanted to see what your priorities are, just look at where your money goes. God calls us to be good stewards. Maybe we cut back on eating out, but that's better all around. We are still fairly young. I feel like the status quo forces us to want to live beyond our means and stretch ourselves so thin. Sometimes I feel like we should live in a nicer neighborhood and have a bigger house and I resent having so much student loan debt. But then I have to remind myself that God has continually provided. I have a home, a car, a job, food, etc. I am by no means poor by worldly standards. In the end, I think this will be a great time for us to be very conscientious and make more of an effort to be mindful of what God has entrusted to us.