Maintaining a budget vs. diet: Which is tougher?

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Summer time is here, and with it comes bathing suit weather. It’s almost impossible to find someone who isn’t trying to make themselves look better for that season. So begins the calorie cutting and burning months before. Sadly, another season is also quickly approaching for everyone: graduation, finding a job, or retirement. It seems that everyone wants to get ready for bathing suit season and people don’t mind being in debt. With the two coinciding at once, it begs the question of which is easier to maintain: a budget or a diet?

While some may say both are equally difficult, there are clearly reasons why maintaining a budget is a lot tougher. Maintaining a budget is not as tangible, and it‘s something that you can‘t really see physical results from like a diet. When you diet, you are maintaining the calories you put into your body and the exercise you do to take them off. You have something to hold in your hand, whether it is a slice of pizza, an apple, or a jump rope and tread mill. In a world where most spending is done using plastic and paper, maintaining a budget is tougher because spenders do not realize what is being expunged from their checking account. It is simply a swipe of a card and not 20 bites of that pizza.

Secondly, if you make a mistake in maintaining your diet, it might show by a little bulge in your belly or being unable to slide a zipper. If you make a mistake in your budget, only creditors and your bank are aware. It is easier to maintain something that will get a reaction from others, even though maintaining both will ensure physical and mental health. It is easier to hide your mistakes when working on a budget, thereby giving you less motivation to succeed. There’s just a lot less support in maintaining a budget.

Finally, there are groups that help you maintain your diet all over the place, but there are far less groups that help you maintain your budget. Society still likes to keep quiet about the financial woes of a family household, and it is even more uncomfortable for people to talk about their finances because of the harshness of reality that may come from such discussions. However, do to recent economic activity more people are willing to help.

It is clear that maintaining a budget is tougher. You are working with less tangible items, and you can hide from your mistakes. You face even more hardship and have more difficulty finding the support you need to maintain a budget. When you are ready to take the plunge, use tools like budgetpulse.com to help you get started. You are tough enough for anything! So this year, focus on thinning your waistline while fattening your wallet. You’ll feel good about both!