You have blocked your family budget ? An unforeseen purchase, Christmas shopping, the desire to spoil the children a little more, too much advertising, a lot of temptations in the stores… And patatras, we can still very quickly end up with a indebtedness of 1 euros or (much) more! If this happens to you, a word of advice: make an appointment immediately with your financial advisor. Don’t wait for him to harass you on the phone! He can help you get through this bad patch. Then set a goal for yourself. Example: are you in debt of 000 euros? Don’t focus on an impossible goal, like not eating for the next three weeks! Set up a expense book. Write down all the purchases by writing down whether they are necessary (water, food, gasoline) or superfluous (clothes, pastries), and your state of mind at the time because we spend more when we are sad or stressed. At the end of the day, calculate the sum. This exercise will allow you to become aware of your expenses, to come back to reality: why we buy, why we get bogged down. To help you see clearly in your reckless purchases, there are associations (free!) Which can listen to you and accompany you. In particular, you can log on to www.sortir-surendettement.com. The government also offers advice on its site www.monbudget.famille.gouv.fr and on www.Monbudgetfacile.com, you will find free management software.
Take stock of your saving, on your accounts: have you loaned money to someone who has not yet paid you back? Now is the time to claim it. The idea? Do not pay agios and recover the money that can be. In a second time, freeze all your expenses. We do not buy anything (nothing, nothing, nothing!) That is not essential. No packaged salad if you can have a salad that you clean yourself. No soda, but tap water etc. Has a birthday just fallen? Too bad. Explain your financial situation, no one will blame you. You have to think every day about the goal you have set for yourself, even if it means hanging it over the fridge (or on top of the computer if you have the easy click for shopping on the Internet). All these “superfluous” expenses, which you will no longer make, will be money to save in the coming months. Green moms know it well, like Carine: “I stopped buying disposable diapers for the second child (€ 2 savings), I make my household products with white vinegar and baking soda, I prepare my small pots and I cultivate my organic vegetable garden. So many savings for the family! ” Ditto, in the return to reality, go for a walk in your closets, and count all those clothes bought very expensive … that you have only worn twice. Look in the fridge to see if you haven’t thrown in any zucchini that you could have eaten, instead of rushing to Picard’s place to grab a ready-made moussaka. This check will make you aware of the changes you can make in the long term.
Of course, it’s gonna take a while to change your habits and detox yourself from consumption, but it’s worth it! Even if you are more of a grasshopper than an ant, in a few months, you will have enough distance to clean up your family budget and go up the slope. And finally, remember that children need your presence, a game shared with the family, a big heckling or cuddling session (even adults!) Rather than yet another toy or sneakers. Mark. So don’t hesitate any longer!
And the children in all this?No need to bother the wolves with your money problems ? Well yes, on the contrary! Immediately in the red, gather a family council. This is important because children can sense when there are tensions at home, especially when parents have financial worries. Calmly explain to the whole family that the situation is difficult at this time. Try to be reassuring: the parents are there to protect the children, and you will not lose them in the forest like those of Petit Poucet. Tell them you plan to take action to clean up expenses and resolve the situation. Talk about the future “We’re going to try to buy a house” and don’t go into the scary details: “We don’t know how we’re going to eat at the end of the month”. Simple words are enough, you can start teaching them some budgeting. Then move on to concrete action. |