Lucy Wallington
- Mar 20, 2023
- 4 min read

How do I stick to a budget?

If I got £1 every time I heard this question...

What's wrong with Budgeting?

Why do we always think "I need to go on a budget" like "I need to go on a diet but it will deprive me of the only joy I have in life?"

Diets don't work - we know this now. They have a short term mindset associated with cabbage soup, egg white omelettes, no booze or cakes!

Healthy Living is a lifestyle change.

It means that for the most part you are eating for the person you want to be. Healthy, glowing, energised,comfy in your jeans & don't have to spend ages taking the perfect selfie to hide your chins.

It takes adjustments to your current lifestyle.

You will learn to make different choices & move your body more.

You'll drink more water.

Sleep better.

AND

You'll still eat that chocolate cake like it's all your birthdays rolled into one.

Still devour that gourmet burger & fries in the country pub with a glass or 3 of Cab Sav.

It's all about ... behaving like you're already there living your ideal lifestyle.

What does a slim healthy woman choose to do every day?

She eats well, she moves, she looks after herself. She does this consistently. It's her lifestyle.

Soon enough, when you act like her each day, take each day at a time, you'll become her.

Each decision you make, or not make, creates your life.

So if I grab a few biscuits with my morning coffee, skip lunch, eat a hot buttered crumpet mid afternoon still sitting on my arse writing blogs & have a large plate of dinner with a glass of wine... let's face it there's no IF here, I will look just like that's the lifestyle I've chosen.

I create my life with every choice I make. So do you.

So how do you stick to your budget?

My first question to you is: What would getting on top of your finances do for you?

For me & for many people I speak to, it's the aaaaahhhhhh factor.

The aaaahhh of clean pajamas, clean bedding after a soak in the bath - you know the one!

The relaxing, reassured feeling that not constantly worrying about money brings.

For you, is it knowing what you've got to spend this month, next month & all the months?

Is it that you've got an amount of money you know is available for whatever you want it to be?

You've got a few thousand in savings?

Are your bills are paid on time?

Have you got enough to treat friends & family to thoughtful birthday gifts?

To be able to say "yes" more than "no" to your kids - without creating spoiled monsters?!

To feel that bubble of excitement that the thing you want in a few years time is POSSIBLE?

Possiblity & hope are exciting, motivating & energising feelings so despite your current season of life you know in your heart that you're moving in the right direction. This year & next is likely to be financially tough for most of us.

But HOPE must prevail that better times will come. You're a capable woman, you can navigate this.

Hope is to want an outcome that makes your life better. So what will make your life better?

1. Visualise you with your money sorted

What do you look like?

What choices do you want to make that you don't already?

Want to open your purse to always find you've got £50+ cash "just in case"?

Do you buy one beautiful thing instead of staggering home with 3 giant bags of H&M, Primark & Zara?

Do you drink a glass of good wine whilst cooking dinner on a Friday night, laughing with your partner in the kitchen about the week you've had?

How do you feel?

Have you evolved into the person you've wanted to become since you were 20?

2. Overspend sometimes

How amazing does it feel to get your nails done, buy a new pair of beautiful shoes, grab a bit of lunch & park in the multi story not the park n ride, on a whim?!!

That dopamine hit is intoxicating! What song do you hear on the drive home whilst smiling to yourself? Here Come the Girls, RESPECT or basically anything by Beyoncé?

When you do this SOMETIMES it feels like you're winning at life.

It's the gourmet burger & Cab Sav of your healthy eating plan isn't it?

3. Financially healthy lifestyle

Is just like your physical healthy lifestyle.

What does a woman do who is in control of her finances?

She knows how much she has because she knows how much she spends.

She knows how much she spends because she knows how much she can.

She doesn't bullshit herself.

She proudly shows what she's bought instead of secretly stuffing it in the back of the wardrobe like it's something contraband.

She knows that the beautiful new sofa she wants won't pay for itself, so she has a bigger goal than another handbag.

So how do you stick to your budget?

You make one

You call it what you like if "budget" doesn't do it for you.

You decide what's important

You recognise where you make crap decisions & you put them right

You cut yourself some slack but never lie to yourself

You evolve into the woman you want to become by being her now. This moment.

With each decision you do or don't make. You are creating your life right now.

This purchase will be a good decision - this will make a difference to your life because it is simple & it will show you how to create & stick to your bespoke spending plan.