Is Your Chronic Illness a Money Pit? Try An Easy Budget Plan

Are your storage containers bulging with unopened supplements or failed remedies?

Is the fear of your disease driving you to buy all the latest treatments?

Are you anxious every time you open your credit card bill?

May be it is time for an Easy Budget Plan.

With His help, you can get on a budget even with a chronic illness.

An Easy Budget Plan

The steps below are very easy and they are a simple way to quickly bring some order back to the financial chaos. I have used this plan to get my grocery bill reduced by 75 percent in one week! This was achieved while sick with a chronic illness. Feel free to work on one step at a time (or, later on, one expense at a time) or just go to the bottom to get the free download.

Step 1. Pray

for Wisdom, Patience, Discernment

Before Each Step

John 15:5; Philippians 4:6

Step 2. Identify Your Top Three Expenses

Review Last Month’s Statements
- credit card and/or bank statements
- Optional: a six-month average is more accurate
Record Your Findings
No Time to Look choose:
- housing Medical, supplements, groceries or utilities

Step 3. Brainstorm/Research Ideas

Search thethriftycouple.com or Seedtime.com for ideas
Obtain Buy-in from other household members by letting them search for ideas
Start With An Easier Expense such as groceries

Step 4. Set a Budget For One Expense

Set a Realistic Budget
- Review the Recommended Percentages provided below
- Compare to Actual amount spent
Post in a Visible Area such as the refrigerator
Try one Idea from Step 3

The following are the recommended percentages of net income by expense. These are from Crown Financial(1). Please note though that these specific percentages may not be realistic for everyone. However, you can still use these as a baseline. To find your income look at your last payroll stub (a six-month average is the best). Whatever your budget, make sure it will work for you in the long-term. Proverbs 21:20

Percentage of Net Income:

Groceries: 9-12%
Housing: 36%
Automobiles: 12%
Medical/Dental: 5%

Step 5. Success? Do the Next Expense

Success – Go on the Next Expense if you stayed around your budgeted amount.
No Luck – Identity What Went Wrong Then, address the issue and try again. You can also try another idea from step 3.

The links below provide possible areas to look into if you did not meet your budget Proverbs 13:11:

Step 6. Maintaining Your Budget

Praying before my purchases may sound silly and time-consuming. However, it is easier for me to stay within my budget when I am depending on God. When I trust in the Lord with my future purchases, He directs my path. With prayer, I avoid making so many purchases that are unnecessary or would even be harmful to my health. I also use my supplement tracker. Prov 3:5

Be sure to pray for discernment. Recently, I was about to order yet another treatment for Lyme, I prayed and asked for guidance. Well, I received it! I mentioned to someone on Facebook that I was just looking into this product. Someone who had tried this product let me know of the issues she was having and how she would have to stop taking it. I have also seen others go onto Facebook or other forums and ask people specific questions about a new treatment. James 1:5-6; Proverbs 27:17

Step 7. What to Do With the Savings

Pay off debt
Start an Emergency Fund
Save for a Reasonable Retirement
Invest for Retirement
Start giving

I hope and pray that this simple method of budgeting will help you get back on track. Not only with your finances, but back on track with your faith. How we spend our money says a lot about what we trust. Let’s start trusting God for His provision and guidance starting with an easy budget plan.

Sources:

Help With Lyme

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