Budget Doesn’t Have to be a Four-Letter Word
I was watching a show the other night and a couple of characters found themselves shopping for daycare. Most of the characters in this show are low-income and this couple specifically had relied on friends and neighbors to keep their two daughters since birth. They had never put their children in a daycare environment. They visited a fairytale-esque daycare center where the principal literally wore a fairy godmother gown as she flitted around the building, showing off the amenities and Mandarin-fluent white children in their care.
In the next scene the head master shared the cost of enrollment, and the couple was sticker-shocked. “Is this the cost per year?” “Well no, it’s actually the price per month…” Surprise followed by hopelessness waved over the faces of the couple. Then came the phrase I dreaded…
“Let me refer you to some places that are more budget-friendly.”
I hate every variation of that phrase: shopping on a budget, budget-friendly, budget-conscious… dislike them all.
I don’t loathe the words themselves, I loathe the implications behind them — that only lower income individuals require a budget or you should only budget when money is tight. Listen to me now. It doesn’t matter if you make $30k or $300k. You need to have a budget.
A budget is just a plan for spending, regardless of your spending level. Do you think savvy multi-millionaires got where they are because they spent whatever whenever without a plan? That’s the subtext message that the rest of us receive when budget is used to supplement low-cost. And it’s a toxic message.
Society has made “budget” a four-letter word, a dreaded word synonymous with poverty and squalor. When its definition is literally just a plan.
Many money experts who do similar work have rebranded a money plan. Ramit Sethi, podcast host and author of the book I Will Teach You to be Rich calls it a “conscious spending plan” and insists his plan is not a budget. I respect, nay, adore Sethi’s work, but I don’t agree here. A plan for money is a budget, regardless of how you spin it.
It’s time we reclaim the true meaning of “budget” and strip away the stigma that’s been attached to it. A budget is not a symbol of financial struggle; it's a powerful tool that anyone, regardless of their income level, can use to take control of their finances. By embracing budgeting as a smart and proactive way to manage money, we empower ourselves to make intentional choices that align with our goals and values.
So the next time you hear “budget-friendly,” remember that budgeting isn’t about limitation—it’s about liberation. It’s about making your money work for you, not the other way around.
Whether you're planning a vacation, saving for a house, or just making sure you have enough to cover the essentials, a budget is your best ally. Let’s change the narrative and make budgeting a badge of honor — a sign of wisdom, intention, and financial freedom. It’s not about how much you have; it’s about how well you use it.