Even if you have a steady job that provides a reasonable paycheck each week or month, you probably find yourself worrying about money from time to time. After all, surprise expenses—like car repairs, medical treatment, increases in rent or utility costs—seem to pop up all the time. At the same time, you might be wishing you could go on an exciting vacation or upgrade your vehicle, or remodel your home.
All of those things, both essential and desirable, cost money. For most people, there never seems to be quite enough to feel secure and like you have options to improve your quality of life. That sense of insecurity can lead to significant feelings of stress, especially if you are always struggling to make ends meet or if your finances are a frequent subject of arguments with your significant other.
High levels of stress (regardless of the source of that stress) put a real strain on your recovery from a substance use disorder. As your stress level increases or stays high over a long period of time, you may well find yourself sorely tempted to turn back to drugs or alcohol in the hope of relieving those feelings of being stressed out.
That, of course, is a terrible way to relieve stress. A relapse is not calming in any way.
Fortunately, when it comes to the stress you feel over money, there is something far more productive you can do. You can make and stick to a budget.
How a Budget Supports Your Recovery
A lot of the stress people experience about money comes from uncertainty. Do you have enough money for this or that expense? Could you be saving more? Is your job paying enough for your basic expenses? Questions like these can be answered once you have built out a budget that reveals your income and your expenses. That reduces uncertainty and stress and supports your ongoing recovery.
Budgeting Basics
Creating a basic budget is actually fairly easy. Here is a step-by-step guide:
- Identify all the money that is coming in. You might think you have a handle on how much money you receive from your employer. Still, it is worth getting extremely specific by looking at the record of your direct deposits or paying close attention to your physical paycheck. This is even more important if you are part of the gig economy and your income varies from month to month. Identifying the lows and the highs of your income stream makes budgeting possible.
- Identify all the money that is going out. Focus here on the things you must pay for each month. That includes your house and car payments, student loan payments, utility bills, grocery totals, gas for your vehicle, etc. These expenses are generally not terribly flexible, so it is important to know how much you need to cover them.
- Do the math. Which is higher, your income or your expenses? Ideally, your income exceeds your expenses and even gives you some wiggle room to save for the future and to enjoy some recreation that allows you to rest and recharge. If the expenses tend to be higher than the income, you are going to need to make some changes to keep money problems at bay. That might mean buying less expensive groceries or negotiating a new rate for your home loan, or what have you. It also might mean exploring options for new jobs that might pay better.
- Stick to the budget. It is all well and good to figure out where you stand financially right now. But for a budget to be truly useful, you have to think of it as a tool for managing your money responsibly. Keeping track of expenditures—especially when something unexpected comes up—is absolutely essential. Over time, you may find that you can save more and spend less, a situation that will allow you to build a more secure future for yourself and the people you love.
- Enjoy the benefits of less stress over money. As we have noted, when you lower your stress levels, you protect your recovery. Once you have created a budget and are sticking to it, remind yourself of your accomplishment and the work you are doing to ensure you can keep your recovery journey on track. We are not talking about blowing your budget to reward yourself. Rather, we are encouraging you to take pride in positive actions you take that improve your quality of life and firm up the foundations of your recovery.
We Are Here to Help You Remove Drugs or Alcohol from the Equation
At French Creek Recovery Center—located in Meadville, Pennsylvania—we help people overcome substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. We are dedicated to helping those we serve improve their lives and move forward into recovery with confidence. Our residential treatment program includes detoxification and rehabilitation programs that are designed to free you from the grip of a substance use disorder and give you the resources and support you need to rebuild your life. When you are ready to get started, we are here to help.