Here’s a great article I found by Christina from Northern Cheapskate. She noticed some very distinct parallels between weight loss and budgeting that I’m sure we can all relate to. Both regimes are difficult because temptation is everywhere.
I realized that it is that bad attitude – the “I’ve already screwed up, what’s the point of trying” attitude – is poison to your long term goals. Where would we have been if we had felt that way when we were working to pay off our student debt and car loans? We probably would have added a lot of self-entitlement to things like vacations and gadgets and racked up a lot of credit card debt. We probably would have just told ourselves we deserved to treat ourselves… much like I can talk myself into a Snickers bar when I’ve had a bad day.
If we embrace the parallels between these two endeavors, it may be easier to keep ourselves on track.
- Realize that you will make mistakes. All you can do is learn from them and move on.
- Strive for getting the best value, whether it is from food or money.
- Always keep your goals in mind. Christina recommends posting them on the fridge so you can see them.
- Realize that you do deserve a treat sometimes, in moderation.
- A support network can make all the difference. Go on a diet with a friend or pick a frugal shopping buddy. Sometimes, friends and family can kick us out of our bad moods and habits.
- There are no quick fixes. It doesn’t take long to get into debt or to outgrow your clothes, but it can take forever to get out of debt or drop a few sizes.
What are some other ways that weight loss compares to budgeting?