Today I put down the most expensive charge on my credit card. I finally booked our rental truck for our upcoming move to Denver.
Ever since my husband and I announced our plans, people have asked me how we’re doing it. I’m a pretty cautious and timid person at times. When my husband first brought up the idea of moving somewhere, I hesitated. I let my fear control me. But now, I’m counting down the days.
The reason I’m no longer scared? Because of budgeting.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 200 times. Saving and budgeting allow you to put your fears aside and think about the things that matter more.
When I started budgeting for this move, I thought about every aspect of it. I set aside money for new furniture since we’re not taking our ratty Goodwill couch with us. I put money away for a security deposit since it’ll take our old landlord a few weeks to send us a check. I put money aside for the move itself because I knew that renting a truck to drive it 16 hours would be expensive. Boy was I right.
It’s because I know how much money we have to spend that I’m not worried about this move. I’m scared about how our dog will handle a long car ride. I’m worried about if I’ll go crazy driving that long by myself, and right now I’m worried that I won’t be able to finish packing in time.
But I’m not worried about money. Once, when I got my first full-time job, my boyfriend asked me if I felt like I had so much money, I didn’t know what to do with it. At the time, I was confused why he was asking me that question. I was paying off my student loans, rebuilding a savings account and couldn’t afford to contribute to a 401k. I knew what to do with my money.
I don’t feel rich now, but I do feel secure. We’re hiring a cleaning lady to take care of our apartment when we move out. We can afford to get a hotel to break up the drive, and I’m excited to finally own a new couch that’s never been used before.
This is what money buys you. It buys you freedom from worrying about money so you can worry about the stuff you have to. So far I haven’t been too stressed or worried. I know we’ll get there safely, I know we’ll find a place to live and I know that wherever we live will be an awesome home.
Not having to worry about money makes me more excited to move. It’s not that I want to spend thousands of dollars, but I’m prepared to. Whether you dream about a new house, a trip abroad or going back to school, start saving and planning for it. If you give yourself enough time and a plan, your money can do incredible things.