Originally posted on Facebook - Budgeting 2018-07-025-001 Cash Flow versus Budgeting:

Some of us budget according to our inflows of cash and some of us budget according to our "needs". We need groceries, rent or mortgage, car payments, retirements and so on...

So in my reality, not seeing any small or medium sized carailli on the vines, I realized that I had to top up on my groceries.

Yes,

The month is coming to an end and

There is a public holiday in the middle of next week and

We are all due to be paid, so

We have to figure out, on what we really need to spend our funds.

So rather than buy for the short term, which in my case is the next few days, until I can use my funds which I will receive for next month, I decided to buy:

2 tins of sardines ( breakfast, lunch or dinner option). Now I did not get the:

$45.00 for six tins option which is available elsewhere, which would have been much cheaper per unit,

Simply because $45.00 is not in my budget for one category of expenditure.

4 tins of mackerel - This would be allocated to my August 2018 food budget as I can cook one tin per week and I can modify it with coconut milk or low fat milk in a curry.

Curry Mixes or spices ~ Now depending on the mix which I use, these spices can change the taste and smell of my curry. So at approximately $2.95 for each pack, the smallest pack, mind you, I can have a variety of curry tastes and smells over a month at least.

1 tin of mushrooms (TT$12.00 or thereabouts) for either pizza or breakfast or lunch or dinner and

1 pack of ground coffee for $15.75 - Jose Perez

Now the 2nd to last item was one of serious debate as there was limited use to the item and the cost, kind of ate up my cash.

Since the last item was intended to last most of a month, I can:

Make a stronger brew over the next few days,

Use up the last of the Hong Wing (coffee), which I have in my emergency bag as the pack has been opened and

If I do not start the next pack of coffee until the end of the first week in August 2018,

I would be good with my coffee rationing.

Now, from a cash flow point of view, the benefit of buying all of the above at that time, without touching my salary (not received as yet), means

That I save on the transportation cost of returning from the grocery which was not budgeted.

So let me know about your budget versus your cash flow options:

What are the things which can cause you to use your savings rather than wait until you receive your salary?

How does those things impact upon your goals either financial or otherwise?

BTW, there were 52 winners of a Cash Pot draw this week, do you think that any of the payouts can be used to impact upon your choices over the next few months? Be it: $124 or $62 or $10?

A $10 choice can mean ginger to plant, if you pick up small pieces or a part of the cost of a pot of soup which can offer you a 2nd line of business.