Budgeting vs. Emotions

Personal or family budgeting is very simple, yet majority find it difficult to do. It is so simple that the only mathematical function that one may use are the addition (+) and subtraction (-). Multiplication or division is seldom used. Finding the square root or those advanced functions are never ever been useful in preparing your personal or family budget.

People find it difficult to follow not because they do not know how to add or subtract, nor they do not have the calculator. The main reason therein is that when speaking of the subject about money and spending, a great deal of emotion is involved.

Imagine for a moment that you receive from your employer a news that on or before the christmas eve you will receive a bonus equivalent to 200% of your salary. What do you think are the things that your mind will be processing? Think deeply and do this exercise for a few moment before you proceed to the succeeding paragraph...

...done with the exercise? I know it is difficult to imagine at this point of time of crisis as bonus are hardly given by every employer. But for the sake of this discussion, I am giving you a chance to really imagine and think seriously what really want to do with this bonus received?

More often than not, when people received a news like this the things that they will immediately think are new stuffs like camera, laptop, cellphone, clothes, and other items to spend for. Seldom people think of setting aside major portion of the amount for savings. Worst is that very less likely people think to set aside for giving.

Whether you agree with me or not, that is a fact. A very sad fact at that.

Everywhere you go commercial advertisements are abounding. Billboards on the streets, on the newspapers, televisions, radio stations, and every other medium these intelligent marketers could think of are being utilized. Some taxi cabs in Al Ain City are now being attached with an advertising board at the back and top.

These things that we continually see and hear every where gets into our subconciousness. Little did we know, our emotions are being hyped up to think of stuffs whenever we are anticipating receipt of any monetary value.

The emotion stirred up by this daily dose of commercial advertisements around us is the main reason why we could not even start to prepare and follow a personal or family budget. As simple as addition and subtraction are even so difficult to do when it is overshadowed by the emotions.

Overcome this emotions by being content. For Paul in his epistle to Timothy wrote that "contentment with godliness is great gain."