We all think it. When we’re up at night thinking about the huge medical bill, or our car is in the shop again, or we don’t have money to buy the birthday gift we want to get for our kids – we think, “If I just had more money…”
Most of the time this is the auto-response tied into our belief system. This is where our brain goes when we want to solve a problem – find more money. We don’t think about coming up with a payment plan we can afford, or finding someone we can carpool with to work, or getting creative with gift giving this year.
People who come to me for Budget Counseling all think they’re having a money problem.
- “I’m 3 months behind on the rent and I’m about to be evicted.”
- “I want to leave my partner, but I can’t afford it.”
- “I’m $40K in debt, and I don’t see how I’m going to pay it off.”
In all these situations, and more, I’ve suggested ways for them to solve their ‘money’ problems and it did not include getting more money. Usually when you get organized, make a list of the bills, think creatively, a solution comes to mind that does not involve more money.
Don’t let lack of awareness or a dysfunctional belief system have you thinking money is the only solution to a money problem.