Budgeting

I was 14 years old when I set my first budget. Needless to say, I didn’t have many expenses, since my parents covered all the basics. But I had my eye on a new computer—an Amiga 500. At the time, I already had a Commodore 64 and had fallen in love with technology. It was mesmerizing to me.To get the Amiga 500 and all the extras I wanted, I needed to save around $1,500. I was working as a baggage boy at the local golf club, earning about $4.50 an hour, plus occasional tips. In six months, I had saved the full amount. I refrained from buying all the cool stuff all my mates were getting becuase I wanted that computer more than all the little temptations along the way.You might think it’s easy to save money when you don’t have many expenses. But in reality, that’s rarely the case. In all my years helping people manage their budgets, I’ve never met anyone who didn’t spend money on things they didn’t truly need.Looking back, the fundamentals of budgeting haven’t changed. The same universal principles apply today as they did back then—and they mirror the core concepts in other areas of life such as goal setting, planning, and mindfulness. You’ll notice these common themes as you explore the content on this site.

Here are the basic rules of budgeting

Write everything down. Track all income and expenses—every dollar counts.
Find your “why.” Your motivation should be deeply meaningful to you.
Understand and accept your current situation. Know where you’re starting from.
Set your goal. Know exactly what you want to achieve. (See Goal Setting for help.)
Accept the sacrifices. Achieving your goal will require trade-offs.
Create a vision board. Include visual and written representations of your goal and its benefits.
Visualize and meditate daily. See yourself achieving your goal and reflect on how it feels.
Set weekly rewards. Make the process enjoyable and sustainable.
Find a support person. Choose someone who will keep you motivated and accountable.
Relax and smile. Life is only as hard as your mind makes it. Be grateful for every breath and the opportunity to live in the present moment.

Budgets Take Commitment

These days, there’s no shortage of software, services, and experts offering to help you manage your budget. But with so many options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—and for many of us, that means never getting started at all.

If you’ve ever tried to stick to a budget and found it difficult, you’re not alone. Most people say the biggest barriers are lack of time and motivation. It’s strange when you think about it—we’ll often work an extra day each week just to earn enough to pay for unnecessary expenses, like interest repayments. That adds up to more than a full month of work every year—work we could avoid by simply managing our money more effectively.

Imagine having the freedom to work a four-day week or enjoy an extra four weeks of vacation each year. Sounds good, right? The truth is, budgeting isn’t complicated—it just feels that way at the start. Like learning to walk, it’s a process. At first, you might stumble or fall, but with the right support, it soon becomes second nature.

Think back to when you took your first steps—you didn’t do it alone. You had helping hands to guide you, and I’m here to offer the same support as you take your first steps toward financial freedom.

You’re here because you know life can be better. You’ve already taken that first, curious step. Drop me a line and let me know how I can help. I look forward to supporting you in any way I can.

Jay Longden

Life Coach - Spiritual Coach

Make contact with me below.

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.

- Dalai Lama