Paying off debt is like losing weight

This year I have two major resolutions {wait-what? It’s the middle of January?? Ok, so I’m a little late on my New Years post.} Ahem, as I was saying: I have 2 major resolutions this year.

1) Trim down our debt
2) Trim down…me :)

The more I think about these goals the more I see how similar they are. I’ll explain how they are similar in a minute, but first it’s important to take a look at the bad habits (of mine) that need fixin’.

Eating too much...spending too much.

Not exercising… not being actively involved in my budget.

Eating poorly (major sweet tooth here)…making poor choices with money.

So there you have it, easy steps to becoming out of shape and knee deep in debt. So, I’ve been thinking up ways to tackle my vices and here is what I’ve come up with:

Control Portions…Spend wisely: Just like food is necessary for us to survive, so is money. That doesn’t mean that every meal we eat needs to be indulgent. The same goes with shopping. If I need a new skirt for church, I should look for one that is nice and serves its purpose. That doesn’t mean I need to buy a matching top, new shoes or a bag to finish it off. Just like saying no to seconds, walking out of a store knowing you’ve kept to your budget can be very satisfying. {It helps to tell myself ‘It’s just food’ or ‘It’s just stuff’}

Exercise regularly…Be active in your budget: I don’t enjoy exercising. Building up the motivation to work out can take a long time for me. The longer I sit, the longer I’m letting my body control me. The same is true with money. The longer you ignore your pennies the longer you are letting your money control you.

Eating Healthy…Being frugal: If I am starving I’m likely to eat anything that is quick and easy, regardless of nutritional value. If I eat a handful of snickers minis rather than something that is healthy and would give me energy I am wasting calories because I didn’t plan ahead. It’s the same with spending money - on anything. If you wait until you are almost out of toothpaste you’ll end up paying whatever the stores are charging at that time. If you plan ahead and wait for the toothpaste to go on sale you can use a coupon and I guarantee you’ll end up with a free (or very very cheap) tube of toothpaste! Trust me, I have 36, not that I count my toothpaste:)

Living frugal requires focus and commitment. A different mind set. A lifestyle change. I've realized that becoming independent from my money is not a destination or a point a which I can relax, but something to always strive towards...a journey, might as well find the joy in it.

Thanks for reading!

P.S. This blog is so new that I would love to hear {positive, only nice stuff people:o} feedback, questions or suggestions on topics for future posts.