💰Household Budget Management 01 | Keeping a household account book isn't scary!
─The Reason to Start by Not Doing Things─
At the edge of the forest stands
Madame Zamasu's home and classroom.
Next to the door, a notice was posted.
Welcome to Madame Zamasu's Household Budgeting Course
This course is for those who feel uncomfortable with household accounts.
All you need to bring today is a relaxed mindset.
By the time we finish the 7 sessions, household accounts should no longer be something to fear.
“Madame is strict.”
That reputation had spread throughout the forest, but
the forest residents who saw the notice
relaxed their shoulders just a little.
◾️The Start of the Course
In the classroom, participants sat, each carrying their own reasons for being there.
Only Moko was looking around, unable to grasp the situation.
Madame entered the classroom and said quietly,
“Quiet, please.”
“From today, you will organize how you spend your money. Knowing your own habits. That is the first step.”
“Now, first, we are going to remove your ‘preconceptions’ about household accounts.”
Madame looks at May.
“May. What image comes to mind when you hear ‘household accounts’?”
May thought for a moment and shrugged her shoulders.
“I think I should do it, but...
Honestly, it seems like a hassle. I always end up putting it off.”
“Hmm. Typical.”
Next, she shifts her gaze to the desk next to her.
“How about you?”
“I don't really know, Moko...
If I do it, will something change, Moko?”
Madame nodded slowly.
“The two of you right now.
Actually, this is where most people start.”
◾️Why Household Accounts Don't Last
People who couldn't keep up with household accounts tend to think like this:
・I can't keep it up because my willpower is weak
・I'm not suited for it because I'm bad with numbers
Let me say this first.
That has almost nothing to do with it!
A household account book is
neither a report card nor a reflection journal.
Its original role is much simpler.
A household account book is
a map to make your decision-making easier!
Madame put down her red pen.
"Rest assured. Today is a 'reading only' day.
Before you start your household accounts, first
we'll cover 'what you don't need to do'."
◾️Today's Theme
🚫 Things you don't need to do
with the Madame Zamasu method of household management
・You don't need to record your accounts every day
・You don't need to strive for accuracy
・You don't need to hold a reflection meeting
・You don't need to try hard to save money
📝 Just remember this today
・With the Madame Zamasu method of household management,
there are many things you don't need to do!
You pass today just by 'reading it'💯
🕯️ Madame's Summary
"Today, you learned what you don't need to do.
That is enough."
"Instead, I want you to think about just one thing."
Madame picked up her red pen and continued quietly.
"If your money worries were to decrease a little—
what would you want to do?"
"Not what you 'have to' do, but what you
'want' to do. Just one thing is fine."
May thought for a moment and said,
"...Travel, I guess."
"I want to live with peace of mind without worrying about money."
"I want to support my favorite idol!"
Voices flew back and forth across the classroom.
Madame nodded slightly.
"That is plenty. Household accounts are
nothing more thana tool to protect those 'wants'."
"That's all for today.
Next time, we will look at the path to get there."
#MadamZamasu
◾️ Supplement | Why start with 'what not to do'
To those who read the story and thought,
'Maybe I can do this after all,'
here is a quick supplement.
(You can skip this and still proceed with the course.)
What this course does first is not to put your household budget in the black or teach you tips for saving money, but rather
to reduce the number of decisions you have to make. When you are feeling anxious, the act of 'choosing' itself becomes a burden.
- Should I record this accurately?
- Should I improve things this month?
- Is this expense something I should feel guilty about?
When these kinds of judgments pile up, a household account book stops being a 'tool for organization' and becomes a 'place to blame yourself.'
That is why in this course, we decided on 'what not to do' first.
- You don't have to record every day.
- It doesn't have to be accurate.
- You don't have to change things right away.
This is not cutting corners.
It is to return to a state where you can face it.
When decisions are reduced, people stop running away from numbers,
and 'seeing' no longer automatically means 'fixing'.
As a result, you will be able to view your household account book
as 'just information'.
Only once you can do that will concrete methods become effective.
🐾
🔜 Episode 2 | Just collect receipts
Just collect them and look at them. Here is why that is enough to make progress👇
📖 For those new to this story
▶Living Forest Information Desk🌳