Posts Tagged ‘budgeting tool’

Deciding to budget to achieve our financial goals can often feel like joining a gym to achieve our fitness and weight loss goals. We’re all motivated it begin with, enthusiastic of making a positive changes to our life, but then are disheartened to discover habits are difficult to break, motivation is hard to find, and we end up blowing it all by eating an entire chocolate cake…or in this case, spending it all on an extravagant purchase. Although difficult at times, both financial and fitness goals are so important to our well-being and incredibly rewarding. So why not achieve both simultaneously?

Australian health coach Andrew Cate has published a book called The Tight Arse Diet that compares effective effective weight loss techniques with getting control of your spending. Here are some scenarios that can apply to both your budget and your diet:

Weight Loss and Budget Tips

1. Don’t be disheartened
With both budgeting and weight loss, it is important to remember that you are making healthy changes for life, not sacrificing your enjoyment of life. There are still plenty of ways you can enjoy life with less spending. In both cases, these changes are for the better, so stick to them! And yes, sometimes we get off track but that doesn’t mean we can’t get back on it. Your goals are achievable!

2. Clear away temptation
Just as you should clear away tempting junk food in your kitchen to stop unhealthy snacking, don’t tempt yourself into spending money by shopping for leisure and browsing. Buy only what you need.

3. Bring your own lunch
Taking your lunch to work not only saves you money (usually around $70 a week) but lets you make healthy low calorie meals.

4. Plan your meals
Planning your meals not only stops impulse snacking but also impulse buying! Look what you have in your kitchen and plan simple meals based on what you already have. Time to get creative!

5. Stick to the list
In both cases, write a shopping list and stick to it! This will help you save money and calories!

6. Plan ahead
Spend Sunday afternoon preparing meals for the week, so its readily available and you are not tempted with less healthy options, or expensive meals!

7. Keep track
Just like trainers suggest keeping a food diary to keep yourself on track, keep a budget that tracks everything you spend. Using a budget tool like heaps! makes this easier.

Andrew Cate also suggests areas where you can save both money and kilos:

* Consume one less alcoholic drinks a day to save over $700 a year as well as lose 3kg
* Find an exercise partner and save around $1,000 on gym fees and lose at least 2kg
* Drink one less soft drink or juice a day, save around $180 and lose a kilo
* Eat slowly and reduce what you need to feel full, saving $300 on food and lose 2kg
* Keep a food diary to reduce portion sizes and breakouts. You could bank $450 and lose 3kg

Set and modify your budget:

To set a budget that works for you, check out our budgeting page.