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I believe that for most, managing your money well starts with a single moment. An epiphany. Something happens that stops you in your tracks and brings your money issues right to the forefront of your mind, showing you that you need a financial plan.
For me, that moment came when I got engaged to my now beautiful wife of over 5 years. I realized that I had blown through a TON of money, and without a financial plan in place, our marriage was going to start off in a world of financial trouble.
We got on a wicked awesome budget, payed off debt while living in $14 an hour, and realized that money was just a tool to allow us to enjoy the more important things in life; each other.
I had a similar moment again when my wife showed me a positive pregnancy test in April of 2011. We had financially come a long way, but that moment changed everything. Knowing that my wife would be at home in 9 months lit a fire under me that has not stopped burning to this day.
And seeing my baby boy’s face confirmed once again that our money was just a tool to build a foundation that would allow us to enjoy every minute of being brand new parents.
On January 3rd, 2014, at 8:05pm, for the first time, I laid eyes on the most beautiful site, our newborn baby girl. In that moment, I was no longer just a daddy, but a daddy to a daughter. I cannot express how amazingly overjoyed I am to be daddy to a wonderful little girl, and my desire to provide for our family has never been stronger.
I am incredibly blessed, as evidenced in the pictures above. And these blessings are also the reason I LOVE BUDGETS.
A budget in and of itself is stupid. It’s putting a bunch of numbers on paper and trying to make them better and better (more income, less expenses, blah blah blah). But when you realize that a budget is just a tool, a guide to get you to the important things in life, they have meaning. And for me, my family is THE motivation for managing my money well. And my family is the reason that I Heart Budgets.
Thank you for stopping by my site. I highly recommend anyone looking for money answers to start by finding out WHY you want to manage your money better. Maybe you have had THAT moment and ended up here to take action and build a plan to achieve your new goals. Or maybe you haven’t had that moment, and are unsure of what really motivates you in life. In either case, finding the WHY will give you the motivation fuel you need to get moving with a life-changing, stress reducing, wonderfully freeing financial plan. And it’s called a budget.
Congratulations!!!
She is beautiful. Enjoy those snuggles!
Mazel tov! Your daughter has such an expressive face.
Congratulations! The points you made about how a budget is about finding the important things in life and working towards them are really great! It’s not all about numbers and money!
First, congrats!! I agree 100%. They are a “guide to get you the important things in life…”
Congrats to your family! Knowing why you’re saving is a really powerful motivation to keep doing so – even for those of us who don’t have tiny people to care for. =)
What a beautiful family! And I agree with you, a budget is so much more than numbers, it’s a roadmap for your life dreams, and when you can adjust your view of a budget, it becomes so much more.
Congratulations mate your daughter is beautiful and you are both so very blessed. I can understand why your passion to budget and provide for your family are so strong. You make it right when you take that initiative for them. Mr.CBB
Awwwww, congrats to you, Michelle and a BIG BROTHER! You will see an amazing change in your son. Those protective instincts will kick right in (unless he’s trying to see how much rough stuff she can take!). I remember my oldest at about 19 mos hearing her 2 month old sister crying. I watched as my baby/big girl ran straight to her toy bin and put on her stethoscope and proceed to check her sister’s head! All the while saying “shhhh shhhh, it’s otay baby lala”.
You are all very blessed…just breathe it all in!
Aww congrats to you and your family. What beautiful pictures!
Congratulations! What a beautiful baby girl! There is no better reason than family, particularly your children, to get finances under control.
HOORAY!!!! Babies are so precious!!! Congrats, Daddy to a girl! 🙂
Congrats man! Enjoy every minute!
Congratulations! What a perfect start to the new year!
She is so beautiful! A huge congratulations.
Wow, congrats man! You’re a lucky guy. But then again, they’re pretty lucky too. I hope you guys are enjoying (and surviving) these first days as parents of two. It’s such an awesome time and I know you’ll cherish it. Can’t wait to hear more!
Congratulations, Jacob! Enjoy every second of those precious children, my friend!
Congratulations Jacob, that’s really cool. And thanks for your perspective on what’s really important in life!
Congrats. Everyone has advice, and well, if you’re reading this here is mine. Don’t waste the moments to snuggle and hold the baby, because soon she’ll be punching you in the neck when you try to hold her.
The first 6 months are the best!
Wow, congrats Jacob. She’s beautiful!
So cute. It’s really wonderful to read a male perspective that is so positive about fatherhood. Congrats to your family and your awesome budgeting 😉
She’s so cute, congratulations! Knowing how to budget and having one to follow has its advantages, and sometimes one can’t realize it until the right time come.
Congrats on your beautiful daughter! It’s a great perspective to have; budgeting as a tool to achieving what you want in life.
Adorable! Absolutely adorable. Congrats!
What a lovely gift to start off the year! Congratulations man! Enjoy every minute of it.
Congratulations Jacob, that’s what life is all about and makes everything worth it.
Congratulation! She is beautiful!
Beautiful baby, Jacob! Congrats! She is lucky that you’re her daddy!
That is awesome. Congratulations Jacob! I was super excited to be a father to my baby boy. I think a daughter would be awesome and scary at the same time. No bigger motivator to get your life in order than a baby!
Hi Jacob, great article. Congratulations on your baby girl! It’s obvious you absolutely adore your kids. I can relate, I have a 20 month old little girl and she is such a joy for my wife and I. Once you have kids, it’s amazing how your priorities change when it comes to finances. We had to make some big financial changes to get ready for starting a family, including getting rid of all debt and preparing to live on one income – which is not always that easy in my area.
Congrats! She is beautiful and I love your financial redemption story.
I will share a slightly unconventional way that budgets have and hopefully will benefit my family. Without getting into the ugly details, my husband and I realized last year that a healthy pregnancy may very likely not be in the cards for us. We were devastated. We started looking into adoption which got us excited but were frustrated with the high costs associated with it. We’ve always been decent budgeters, but had been slacking for a while. We made some tweaks and recommitted ourselves to living frugally, and have now saved over 25% towards our adoption fund :). We are hoping to get started with the process later this year.
Although the pain of infertility and loss is real for us, it would have been much, much worse if we were buried in debt and with no savings. It also would have delayed our adoption dreams. I don’t share this story to make myself sound awesome (I’m really not), but to say how living on a budget can benefit a family in so many aspects of life, even if not in the ways you thought it would.
I can’t think of a better reason to love budgets then looking at those beautiful little faces. Congrats on the new addition to the family, she’s absolutely adorable!
Congratulations, she’s beautiful! That’s a great reason to heart budgets 🙂
Family is always the best reason to do anything, isn’t it? The chance to spend more time with family is fueling my debt payoff and saving currently. I can’t think of a better reason to get my financial shit under control.
Congrats Jacob! Your family is beautiful. I agree, it’s much easier to follow a budget once you reflect on the WHY.
Congratulations! She is sooo beautiful! 🙂 All the best for you and your family!
Congrats to you! She is adorable! And family is my main reason for budgeting (along with a wedding and honeymoon this year)!!
Oh, how wonderful! Babies are such a blessing and I love hearing about them. Washing you many years of happiness budgeting for your growing family!
Yes. Having a budget in place really helps. Also, a strict spending plan.