The title of this blog post isn’t a typo. Every other financial site is giving you tips for how to make budgeting simple and easy to fit into your lifestyle – this is not one of those sites. The reality is convenience is ruining your financial life. Budgeting apps and online banking tout convenience as the solution to all your financial problems, yet it’s the convenience which acerbates your bad habits. When your budgeting app syncs with your bank account, you are completely removed from the process. Yet YOU are the only one who can change your habits. That’s why you need to go old school. Get out a pen and paper or start a new Excel spreadsheet (Google sheets if you’re fancy) and start digging into your spending. Will it take more time? Most definitely, but it won’t take nearly as much time as you think it will. This process of “inconvenience” will give you true insight into your spending behavior. All those late night take out orders are going to hurt each time you have to manually enter them into the ‘dining out’ category. This is accountability, also known as, the backbone of budgeting.
For more budgeting realities, check out my segment on Fox59:
Peter Dunn a.k.a. Pete the Planner® is an award-winning financial mind and a former comedian. He’s a USA TODAY columnist, author of ten books, and is the host of the popular radio show and podcast, The Pete the Planner Show. Pete is considered one of the foremost experts on financial wellness in the world, but he’s just as likely to talk your ear off about bass fishing.