Enough With Your Budget Excuses

If you can't stick to your budget, it's probably because of the way you justify the purchases you make.

With rising gas and food prices making a large dent in most people's monthly budget, it's more important than ever to limit spending to those things that are part of your budget.

If you hear yourself making any of the following common justification as to why it's okay to spend money, it's a sign that you are undermining the effort you are putting forth to get your finances in order.

"I work hard so I deserve it."

This usually is a way to justify trying to keep up with the Joneses. If the Joneses are able to get all those toys and don't put forth the effort that you do, then you deserve at least the same as them, the thought process goes.

Yes, you do work hard, but you don't necessarily deserve everything you want. What you do deserve are the things that you have made the effort to save for and pay for in full.

"Live a little!"

(Also: "Life is short!" "You can't take it with you." "If I waited until I could afford it, I could never buy anything.")

These are some common examples that are used as justification for fulfilling instant gratification.

It's true that you can't take it with you, but that doesn't mean you want to spend it all before you even have it. Part of the reason to get your finances in order is so that you can do all the things you want to do today and still have money left over to do all the things you want to do tomorrow, next month, next year and 10 years from now.