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Be Flexible

July 30, 2025 One huge draw to applying for Project Money was the opportunity to work with a coach. I’ve read many books, listened to podcasts, and watched videos about budgeting. But there’s something special about talking with someone in person about my specific situation.
Recently, I met with my coach, Jenny, to go over my budget. While I’ve been budgeting for years, it was a good reminder to start fresh each month with new eyes. We worked on my August budget together, and now that my Alaska trip is over, I have new goals to work toward. Jenny helped me see how much money I had left after paying for bills and necessities. She encouraged me to allocate money to my goals first and then apply what's left to other categories. It was a great reminder to prioritize and stay flexible!
My new goal is to save for Shaela’s college tuition. I’m not paying it all—because I just can’t afford that. I’ve been very honest with Shaela about this. I don’t want to go into debt for her schooling, nor do I want her to. Luckily, she has been saving for her portion and already has enough for her first semester (and more!). I, on the other hand, do not... YET. So this is now my top priority, and any extra money I have will go toward this goal. From there, I’ll start budgeting each month for her second semester and beyond. It feels much more manageable when I can divide the total by 6, 9, or 12 months!
I may make it sound easy, but the reality is—it’s not. Every time I go to spend money, I have to ask myself: Will this set me back from reaching my goal? Does it fit into the budget? Do I really NEED this right now? Sometimes, this is frustrating because I work hard (two jobs!), and I feel like I should be able to splurge. But then I remind myself how amazing I’ll feel when I reach my goals.
Just this month, I took my two kids on a dream cruise to Alaska—and I paid for it all before we left. I didn’t accrue any debt. I did it! And I’m so proud of myself. So I’ll keep at it. I’ll splurge once in a while—because that’s life. But most of the time, I’ll stick with my budget so I can feel that moment of pride once again.

This August, create a budget with a goal in mind. Just start. You will need to be flexible. Give yourself grace if it doesn't work out perfectly. If you need a budgeting worksheet, there is one available on Summit Credit Union's website. Just look for the "Learn" tab, then "Financial Education". There you will find all kinds of great resources, including the budget worksheet. 
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