So What is a Budget Exactly?
Those may seem like extreme scenarios, but I have seen similar things many times. The secret to having a budget is mastering your money instead of letting it master you. You are telling your money where to go, not the other way around. Additionally, when you develop a budget and follow it, you begin to see where your money actually goes. As you become strong-willed in not moving outside of your budget, you will start to notice things that you spent a great deal of money on. For instance, you may not think you spend much on sodas at work. If you budget $10 for sodas because that is how much you think you normally spend, you might find yourself doing without multiple sodas a day.
When we are not watching our money, it disappears- it never fails. Making a wedding budget and diligently following it can make a huge difference in your life, but do not just take my word for it. Try it for yourself, even if it is just for a month or for one event- like a wedding. Test the process and see if you notice a difference.
Why a Wedding Budget is an Important?
A wedding budget is important because you set aside specific amounts for specific items. If you budget $2,000 for your dress and $200 for your shoes but find shoes that are $400, you have two choices: subtract the extra $200 from your dress fund or find a pair of shoes that fits into your budget. Your budget helps you remember what is important to you.
A way to help you stick with your budget is to pay cash for everything. Get envelopes and mark them for each item on your budget, such as “Dress”, “Venue”, and “Shoes”. Put the exact amount you have written in your budget into those envelopes. When you go shopping for any of those items, only take the envelope that is meant for that item.