Your Budget Plan Won’t Be Complete Without Gratitude.
Budgeting is solving a math problem, right? Nope. It’s about psychology . It’s about happiness . Your budget is more complex than numbers. And it’s hard to find a balance without showing gratitude .
As personal finance blog Afford Anything points out, gratitude, as a function of your budget, helps you keep perspective. It allows you to focus on the expenses that are already improving your life (plumbing, electricity, Internet ), instead of wasting all your mental energy on what you don’t have . Without this essential component, even the most carefully planned budgets will be vulnerable to the vagaries of consumption.
There is one little secret to a happy life. One that doesn’t require the crazy investment of shiny toys. (Actually, this is not a secret at all. This is an approach that everyone knows … but many overlook.) It’s simple: gratitude.
The best antidote to wanting more is to be grateful for everything you have. The practice of gratitude is more effective than privation, discipline, willpower, coupons, or any other money-saving tactic.
The psychological effect of gratitude is often overlooked because it is difficult to measure in balance. However, if you took the moment to say “I love what I already have” to deter you from buying a new tablet, then you’ve already saved more than months worth of coupon clippings. And you’re psychologically better off than if you didn’t just buy a new gadget, because you “shouldn’t.” Gratitude is more than just a pleasant feeling invented for the climax of films made for television. This is a must-have item in your budget.
Can we take some time to reflect on how lucky we are? | Allow yourself everything