When I talk to people about budgeting, it’s interesting to hear all the ways they’re shooting themselves in the foot. So numerous folks have no budget at all. They spend freely throughout the month and wonder where all their money went when the well runs dry. The answer is straight-forward; your money floated right out the window the moment you stopped paying attention to your money flow. This is why I insist on setting an absolute budget for my household. The point is, there’s only so much money to spend, and that’s it. If you mishandle your money throughout the month, you’re going to have an uncomfortable couple of afternoons when you get to the end of the period. This is especially brutal when it comes to managing your utility budget, energy expenditure, and Heating and A/C system. In my home, my pal and I have to choose which afternoons to use the heating and cooling system. Our heating system and AC don’t run every day of the year because it’s high-priced, energetically irresponsible, and lavish to rely so heavily on artificial indoor air. We can use the heating system when it’s horrifically chilly outside. We can turn to the central air conditioner if it’s easily warm sizzling inside the house. But when my pal and I run out of money to spend money the energy bill budget each month, we’re SOL. At that point, my pal and I have to make due with natural ventilation AKA opening the windows and hoping for the best. I’ve tried to tell my friends and family about budgeting for your energy expenditure each day and making intelligent decisions about using the central control unit, but everyone aren’t interested in the strict Heating and A/C practice. When they talk about budgeting for cabin expenses and utility bills, it’s easily more of an ideal than an absolute.
