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Plan and Learn!

September 30, 2025 This month I tried budgeting a little differently. First, I covered my needs—house payment, cell phone, insurance, and other monthly bills that don’t change. Next, I focused on my goals: 2nd semester tuition, paying off credit cards, paying off my car and Hayden’s car, and building my emergency fund. Finally, I set aside money for sinking funds (Christmas, HOA fees, car registration, Amazon Prime) and my cash envelopes (food, fun, health, home).Throughout the month, I tracked my spending, made payments, and watched where my money went. Sure, there were times I wanted to stop for coffee, but I reminded myself of my bigger plan. This month, I didn’t budget for lattes—but I did budget for a girls’ weekend, a trip to visit Shaela, and dinner with friends.As a teacher, I love to learn. Recently I read a book about budgeting and discovered a podcast on the subject. Both gave me new ideas and motivation to stick to my plan. Learning truly is the key to improvement!If you want to make progress with your money, I encourage you to start learning, too. Here are some resources I’ve found helpful:Books
  • Miracle Morning (not about budgeting, but great for building a morning routine that includes reading and learning)
  • My Money My Way: Taking Back Control of Your Finances by Kumiko Love
  • You Need a Budget by Jesse Mecham
Podcasts
  • The Budget Effect
Instagram/Facebook
  • The Budget Mom (author of My Money My Way, with tons of helpful budgeting tips)
And don’t forget—Summit Credit Union also has articles, podcasts, and other resources to help you budget with confidence! You might also be interested in From debt reduction to smarter saving, Project Money transformed my finances—discover the lessons that changed everything... Financial freedom means control, not wealth. I’m guiding my kids early—open talks, goals, IRAs, and celebrating wins... Kelli’s prepping for retirement at 50 by boosting savings, opening a Roth, and learning to invest smart... Kelli’s mindset shift = power: she’s tackling surprise costs with strategy, not stress. Financial freedom starts with intention and control... Kelli shares how intentional budgeting brings freedom—not restriction. Saying no today means saying yes to your bigger goals tomorrow... Kelli revamped her budget by prioritizing needs, goals, and learning—turning mindful spending into meaningful financial progress... Learning to live debt-free, Kelli pays cash for college, budgets tightly, and uses envelopes to stay focused on her financial goals... Kelli got a glimpse of financial ease this summer—budgeting stayed strong, stress eased, and small, consistent steps proved key to lasting financial confidence... Kelli shares how working with her coach helped her reset her budget, stay flexible, and prioritize saving—all while celebrating a debt-free vacation...