I just blew 47% of my budget 😱

But I fixed it in 10 days (here's how)...

Author

Ren
May 28, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

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Hey there money-savers, it’s Ren here and I have a confession..

Remember how I'm always preaching about budgets and being organized? Well, last week I went 47% over our household budget. FORTY-SEVEN PERCENT!

It all started with "just popping into" the plant nursery for one succulent. ONE! But then I saw the Japanese maple on sale, and those gorgeous planters, and... suddenly I was loading a small forest into my car….

Plus a few new furnishings, a laptop bag, and (umm, a couple of) nice dresses.

(My husband's face when I got home? Priceless. Or should I say, very expensive? 😅)

Here's the thing though - overspending happens to literally everyone. Even us budget nerds!

The difference between financial success and stress isn't about being perfect. It's about having a game plan for when things go sideways.

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Our Previous Issues

Here’s the 4 prior issues in case you want to play catch up 😉…

🚨 The "Whoops" Recovery Plan

All is not lost however as sometimes the best laid plans go kaput…

Let’s uncover how to get yourself out of a pickle of this nature…

Step 1: Stop the Bleeding The moment you realize you've overspent, pause ALL non-essential spending. Yes, even that "but it's on sale!" purchase. Your wallet needs a breather.

Step 2: The Reality Check Open your banking app (I know, scary!). Calculate exactly how much you went over. No guessing, no "it's probably fine" - get the real number.

Step 3: The Quick Fix Formula

  • Overspent by less than 10%? Skip one takeout meal this week

  • 10-25% over? Time for a spending freeze (3-5 days)

  • More than 25%? Activate "Recovery Mode" (see below)

Piggy bank eating coins

Something To Ponder….

❝

"It's not about never falling. It's about how quickly you get back up."

Every financial advisor ever (probably)

💪 Recovery Mode Activated

When I hit that 47% overage, here's exactly what I did (minus a brief panic attack first):

  1. Immediate 7-day spending freeze (except true essentials)

  2. Raided the "buffer fund" (that extra $50-100 you keep for exactly this)

  3. Sold something (goodbye, bread maker I used twice)

  4. Picked up a quick gig (hello, freelance project!)

Within 10 days, I was back on track. No drama, no derailing our long-term goals.

🎯 Your "Never Again" Setup

Want to avoid future budget blow-outs? Try these:

  • Weekly check-ins (5 minutes, Sunday mornings)

  • The 24-hour rule (wait before buying anything over $50)

  • Budget alerts (most banks offer these free!)

  • The "oops fund" (even $20/month helps)

Remember: One bad week doesn't erase months of good habits. The fact that you even HAVE a budget puts you ahead of 65% of people.

💭 Final Thoughts

So if you've blown your budget recently, welcome to the club! Now dust yourself off and let's get back to it.

A bad day, week or even month doesn’t mean you Have to accept defeat and derailment. Follow the steps listed above, pick yourself back and you’ll be amazed how quickly you can bounce back.

You've got this!

Ren

P.S. there’s still time to save up to 40% across our amazing range of budgeting tools and resources. Go check them out here (oh and if you get value from this newsletter, feel free to forward it onto a friend!)

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