The Not-So-Everyday-Woman: Aliza S. On Mastering Your Budget, Happily

If we had to pick (one of our) least favorite things to do, it’s budget. And to do it happily?! We knew this was an interview we had to do.

About this new series: Everyone is meaningful, everyone has something special to share…something they’re passionate about or they’ve learned and want to share. When we put out a call for ‘not-so-everyday-woman’ to be interviewed, we didn’t realize how many amazing responses we would get. Of course, we know our readers have so much to share (we feature you all the time!), but the responses included such a great variety of topics and information. We can’t wait to keep speaking to you! If you missed it, visit this post to fill out the form. And, so, the series begins! 

Now, let’s hear from Aliza S.

Although budgeting is something that’s always been important, now more than ever, so many of us need to work on developing, and sticking to a budget. Meet Aliza, a graphic designer and a financial literacy teacher. Aliza’s been in the trenches: having to spread too few dollars far too thinly to take care of a growing family.

And so many of us have been there! But what stuck out about Aliza’s budgeting perspective was the ‘happily.’ When push comes to shove, we can make do with less, and make what we have stretch farther. But is it possible to do it with a smile on our face? We were so excited to talk to Aliza and help her share her perspective around budgeting and money farther than just her classroom.

Here’s Aliza’s story.

When I got married, neither mine or my husband’s careers were established. And our expenses shot up right away: rent, tuition for my husband’s extensive schooling, food, and a growing family. My husband was going to be in school for a while, so although we had a great career to look forward to, I was on my own financially. Socially too, most of my friends were being supported or already had careers; I was budgeting on my own. 

Because I knew it was going to be a long haul, I wanted to learn as much about budgeting that I could. I read all the books, learned all the perspectives, found online resources, trying to arm myself with more knowledge. And, I broke the stigma about talking about money! Instead of the taboo-ness I always associated with money, I tried to find like-minded people who didn’t mind talking about it. Finding online communities of budgeters was really helpful too: for ideas but also to see that there are other people doing this too.

But here’s what it came down to: Can I see this as a growth opportunity?

Because yes, there are going to be stressful times. But the ability to view budgeting and living with less as a growth opportunity changes it from ‘nebach’ to ‘flexing your muscles.’ 

What middos do I want to develop? Maybe I can do this same thing without stress. Maybe I can grow from this! Maybe I can learn to appreciate every penny and use it wisely. Maybe I can notice and be filled with gratitude for what I have. And although the journey is hard, when you can learn to appreciate it, so much of the ‘challenge’ dissipates. 

So no, don’t surround yourself with things you can’t have. Use social media to your advantage. Find a like-minded circle, either in-person, or online. Use your creativity to push yourself. And maybe, just maybe, you can take this as a ‘growth opportunity,’ happily.

Aliza really recommends reading all the literature you can get your hands on to learn different perspectives and find your own balance. Here are two opposing perspectives that Aliza learned from.