Because Every Month Is Different

July has been absolutely bonkers for our family. By the time July comes to a close, one of both of us (Sarah or I) will have been traveling for 23 of the 31 days of the month. It’s a combination of work, fun, and family. With crazy summer travel comes a very common occurrence in households all across the country. Finances can become chaotic, unpredictable, and laxidazical. I have this conversation with clients all the time, reminding them they aren’t alone.

This brings into focus a topic I talk about frequently. Not only is it important to budget, but it’s important to make each month’s budget unique. Not doing so is one of the primary drivers for people struggling with finances in the summer. If you’re used to spending xyz on certain categories, summer will be like a grenade that lands in the middle of all of it…..and explodes.

Sarah and I knew July was going to be nuts, so we planned for the nuts. Since we’re on the road a lot, we cut back on groceries, but increased the dining out budget. We have less money allocated for the house, and more for the trips. Even the source of our income shifts in the summer, so we take that into account as well. The plan is never perfect, but we simply do the best we can.

When we take this proactive approach and enter new, unique months with intentionality, alignment, and a purpose, even the most chaotic situation can feel manageable. It’s been an awesome month. Lots of memories, lots of experiences, and lots of adventures. But when the dust settles, it won’t hinder us financially. I know this because the plan says so. I hope you’re having an awesome month, as well! And while you do, I hope you feel the same level of intentionality and control over your finances. You deserve it!

Comfort or Impact

For nearly two years, Cole has been prodding me to record a specific episode I desperately fought against. His idea was simple: He would join me on the mics, and we would each detail our family's monthly budget...bit by bit. Yes, one of the things I try to focus on when creating content is vulnerability and transparency. Honesty always wins. However, the episode Cole was proposing was about seven steps further than I was comfortable going. I've discussed all sorts of personal financial and non-financial topics on the podcast and blog. However, this idea was something completely different. It was beyond my level of comfort.

A few weeks ago, he finally beat me into submission and we recorded the episode. I dreaded the moments leading up to it, the actual recording was fine (I always love being on the mics), and I dreaded it every day until it was published....then I dreaded it some more. As Cole predicted, it quickly gained traction and will likely become one of our top 10 most downloaded episodes ever.....much to my chagrin.

Cole and I have received much feedback about the episode since it was published. Here's the interesting part, though. The feedback rarely has anything to do with money. Rather, it revolves around the values and principles we discussed in and around the budget. Topics such as parenting, marriage, faith, generosity, and inheritances. It's as I always say: money is NEVER about money. It's always about something bigger. I think this episode perfectly reflects that concept. We sat down to talk about money, but instead, we ended up talking about what really matters most.

It's fun to see the impact this episode is having on people. Spouses are listening to it together, then using it as the basis for their own conversations. It's giving couples new topics to discuss, such as personal spending, investing in the marriage, and what it means to "provide" for their children. It's providing outside context to help people recognize they aren't the only ones struggling with inflation, putting all the pieces together, and prioritization.

I fought this for two years, but here we are. If my comfort had continued to win out, this impact wouldn't happen. I can have comfort or impact, but I can't have both. It's a sobering lesson for someone who talks about this very principle on a weekly basis. "I told you so" probably won't come out of Cole's mouth, so I'll just name it here. Cole, you told me so. Right on, my man. Keep pushing me when I need to be pushed. We can have comfort or impact, but we can't have both.

If you want to listen to this episode, you can find it on APPLE, SPOTIFY, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Opportunity Cost: In the Wild

On the heels of yesterday’s post about opportunity cost, at least 10 people asked if I would provide a real-life example of how the exercise works in practice. At the same time, Cole (Meaning Over Money co-founder) has been encouraging me to be more transparent with my own numbers. I feel like I’m a very transparent person, but being open with my specific numbers does not come naturally. In fact, it’s quite uncomfortable. Therefore, let’s get me out of my comfort zone!

The following is what our prioritized opportunity cost list looks like. As a reminder, this is everything that’s not a basic need in our household (housing, food, transportation, insurance, phones, interest, etc.). The following list is for a specific month, but it also resembles what a “normal” month looks like in this season of life. Our basic needs are fairly modest and we never carry any debt. Excess income is approximately $3,800 this month. With that context in mind, here we go:

1. Giving: $1,000

2. Travel: $800

3. Kids: $600 (this is a mix of needs and wants, but heavy on wants)

4. Sarah's Personal Spending: $250

5. Travis's Personal Spending: $250

6. Dining Out: $150

7. Streaming Services: $150

8. Car Fund: $150

9. Events/Entertainment: $150

10. Home Furnishings: $300

11. Investing: None

12. House Cleaning: None

13. College Funds: None

14. Lake Condo: None

When I pull back the curtain and reveal our list, a few things come to mind.

• The fact giving and travel eats up 47% of our excess income is a true reflection of how important those are in our life. They are the foundation of our family.

• I believe personal spending for each spouse should be a non-negotiable in every marriage. It acts as a great release valve and allows each spouse to live out their unique values and interests with a portion of the finances. Our house rule has always been each of us shall get the same amount…..no matter what.

• For as important as food is to our family, dining out hasn’t received as much love in recent years (initiated by COVID). Something to think about in the months to come.

• I’ve been putting $150/month into the car fund for 19 years. It works wonders!

• Investing and college funds have taken a back seat in this season of life. This is, in part, a consequence of our heavy giving and travel budgets (mission and memories, as my friend Gary Hoag likes to say).

• We stopped getting periodic house cleaning in Fall 2022…..probably something we’ll move up the list in the near future.

• Sarah REALLY wants a small condo on a lake. I mean, she REALLY wants it. This is an ongoing discussion in our household and it wouldn’t surprise me if this one moves up the list in due time.

Wow, that was as uncomfortable as I feared. Oh well, I hope you found it insightful, beneficial, and perhaps a bit entertaining. What’s most important to remember is this is a reflection of OUR values. It’s unique to us because we are the ones who have to live our life. And you get to live yours! As you do, I hope you recklessly and relentlessly live your values!