Probably my least popular posts are about business budgeting.
But it's maybe, probably the most important thing I do.
Anyway, I've noticed in the past that budgeting and dieting go together.
I swear I don't plan it that way.
Somehow the same impulse to get my personal life in order is reflected in the impulse to get my working life in order.
I wanted to see -- at long last-- whether I could truly, once and for all, stick to budget for just one six month period. I mean, truly stick to budget.
I've only managed to do that in the past for a month or two.
Never six months.
Why?
Well, not only am I undisciplined, but the timing has often been wrong. I'd decide on a budgeting program, and then a bookstore near me would go out of business and I'd have the chance to bring in books, and ....boom, goes the budget.
Or a gamestore near me would go out of business, and I'd have a chance to bring in games, and...boom, goes the budget.
Or...the U.S.A. (and world economy) would go bust, and I'd have to scramble to keep sales up, and...boom, goes the budget. The same impulse that makes me want to consolidate and firm up the business seems to come at the end of a cycle, usually. So watch out everyone!
For the first time in years, none of those things have happened recently. For the first time in years, I have a stable inventory.
Meanwhile, my two weeks of looking at myself in motel mirrors on our trip (way too many mirrors in motels....) shamed me into losing weight.
I'm about 8 pounds down since July 1. I've gone on long walks every day but 3 over the same period. I'm about a third of the way to my goal. (Since I wrote this, another 5 days have gone by without a single pound lost...)
Meanwhile, I assembled a couple of enticing but unnecessary orders that I was planning to order mid-month.
This morning, I deleted them. Which is really hard to do. I still have some large orders coming in, but they are part of the budget.
Anyway, one discipline seems to reinforce the other, so that's all good. As I told Linda (who simply doesn't go about things this way) if I'm going to inflict pain on myself, I'd rather do it all at once and at the same time.
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2 comments:
It's funny how eating better and budgeting better often go hand-in-hand--I guess it's because at the end of the day, you're struggling with the same things.
"I might as well buy this book/game because I need some variety in my life" and "I might as well eat this cake because I need some variety in my life" really aren't that far from each other, are they?
Both actions come from our human need for variety. We have several different needs--the key is to fulfill our needs in healthier and more financially prudent ways. Take a look at the video in my link. It does a great job explaining the different human needs we have, how bad habits can form around them, and how we can replace them with better ones.
I've lost 25 pounds since February. It was easy; all I had to do was contract a couple of digestive disorders that made me almost unable to eat anything.
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