You Should Treat Your Budget Like a Healthy Diet.

Sticking to a budget is a lot like sticking to a diet. Both are forms of limitation, and you need discipline (and often sacrifice) to see results. And just like with yo-yo dieting , when you’re trying to “eat healthier,” it’s also easy to get trapped in a cycle of unhealthy habits when it comes to money.

Of course, a budget requires discipline, planning and compromise. But just as Lifehacker senior health editor Beth Skwarecki advocates losing weight without buying into diet culture , I’m here to say you can save money without buying into the mindless ” financial gurus ” culture. Follow these tips to treat your budget like a successful weight loss plan.

Calculate your calorie budget

If you have any problems with spending and saving, you need to create a budget . Something like the 50/15/5 rule is a good place to start. To really help your healthy money habits stick, here’s how you can treat your budget like a diet.

First, calculate your monthly salary. This is the total number of “calories” you can “burn.” List all your fixed monthly expenses such as rent, car payment, insurance, etc. These are things that cannot be eliminated from your diet. All that remains is your budget calorie allowance. This is your monthly limit on variable expenses such as food, entertainment, shopping, etc.

“Meal Plan” your expenses

Plan how you will “spend” your budget calories for the month. Just like with meal prep, decide in advance how much money you’ll allocate to each spending category. Build your budget based on needs, not wants. Leave some room for surprise treats, but limit them. Automate savings transfers and bill payments so you don’t feel tempted to spend money.

Stick to your list in store

My advice: physically write down the things you want to buy before you buy them . Use these bank statements to indicate which items are on your official “shopping list.” By reading through the items on this list, you can make a more informed decision about what you really need.

When you shop with a list, it will be easier for you to resist impulse purchases. Don’t wander the aisles aimlessly like you’re hungry at the grocery store. Avoid store emails that tempt you to overspend. Focus on needs, not wants.

Control portions and leftovers

Spend only what is in your budget and don’t let any excess squander or go to waste. For example, if you’re budgeting $50 for eating out this week, but you only spend $40, don’t justify spending the “left” $10 on something else. Put that $10 toward savings or toward your food budget for the next week.

Allow yourself to show off

Avoiding all treats can lead to overeating when your willpower runs low. Likewise, if you allow a little budget splurge every now and then, you won’t rebel and overspend.

For boundaries to really work, you need to be flexible and gentle with yourself. Otherwise, you run the risk of financial overeating – overspending or completely abandoning your budget). Forming a healthy relationship with money means being thoughtful about it. Ask yourself: “How do I expect this purchase to make me feel? How do I want this to make me feel? What feelings am I trying to avoid by buying it?

Just be selective, limit the frequency and quantity, and make room for splurges in your budget early. If you’ve let your compensation expenses go overboard, here’s more information on how to combat so-called “revenge expenses.”

Be flexible and adjust as needed

Reassess your budget needs monthly. Make adjustments based on changing financial circumstances, goals, or reasons you identify for overspending. Just like with a weight loss diet, a solid budget leads to financial well-being. The key is to give yourself some structure, but give yourself the wiggle room you need to achieve sustainable results.