Budgets Are Sexy in 2026

If you care about budgets sexy, this guide gets straight to the point. We break down what actually matters, skip the fluff, and show you how to put it to work today.

Key Takeaways

• It’s been two full months since taking over this blog.
• I was thinking of creating an overall summary & tally, then updating the growth and changes each so frequently.
• Growth for my stuff will be pretty slow, given that I’m not able to contribute much with a low salary.
• Let me know if it upsides you seeing my process anyway.

What to Know About Budgets Sexy

Quick question for you readers … I’ve shared details of a few of my accounts and assets (IRA, duplex, gift accounts) and I have a few more I’ll be detailing soon (Roths, cash accounts, etc). Kind of like J$’s net worth tracking - except I’ll be excluding a few real estate assets and partnerships my wife and I are a part of.

• Worth noting: anyway, would it assist if I made a “partial net worth” snapshot and tracked asset growth over time?  Remember, net worth reports are less about the total $ number, and more about the progression and ongoing process.
• Money been up to!!!??
• More importantly, j$ will jump on the blog soon and write his own update post, but for now I’m going to spill the beans on a few aspects… (He also sends out personal updates each so frequently you can see at jmoney.biz) First, the large curation website he’s been working on with the Motley Fool team is launching soon!

How Budgets Sexy Really Works

It will include *original video content* written by and starring J. You’ll all be the first to know when the site goes live!

• In the meantime, J’s opened up an online personal finance apparel store!
• Remember that it supports a bunch of personal finance bloggers and enthusiasts that spread the solid word about FIRE in a fun and trendy method!
• Check it out, and get your gear here -> PFSwagger.com.

Getting the Most From Budgets Sexy

For all you finance professionals and bloggers out there, you might be interested in this virtual conference next week… Elevate Influencer is for personal finance influencers who speak directly to People of Color. I’m attending the first day Aug 13th (You can too for FREE thanks to Motley Fool sponsoring the event).

• As a rule, i’m looking forward to educating myself more about the financial challenges faced by People of Color, and how I can apply my influence and this blog to assist!
• Take Control of Your Finances, by Alan and Katie Donegan… This week I joined Alan Donegan’s Take Control of Your Finances course (also FREE)!
• You may already know Alan - he’s the guy behind Popup Business School, interviewed by Mad FIentist, ChooseFI and already achieved FI in his 30’s with his wife, Katie!

Tips That Make a Difference

Since COVID pretty much shut down all of their in-person workshops, Alan and Katie are hosting a FREE 8-week beginners course on Financial Independence. In short, also, this is tailored mainly to beginners… But even though you might know most of the basic FI principles, it at no point hurts to refresh and hear different perspectives! - that’s why I’m attending :) Camp Progress by Jillian Johnsrud!

• Currently I’m taking a Life Design course hosted by Jillian Johnsrud.
• Jillian is the host of ChooseFI’s Everyday Courage Podcast which you may already be familiar with.
• Each time I hear Jillian speak, I walk away with genuinely large epiphanies about life, money, relationships, and happiness in general!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Worth noting: jillian’s got a few other classes available soon in the fall that you might be interested in that cover Life Design, Mastering your Money, and Boundaries. You can check them all out and register here.

• Note, these classes cost $$ to attend.
• An investment in your personal development :) (I have *no* affiliate relationship and get no kickbacks for recommending any of these courses or workshops… Just sharing the solid aspects I come throughout!) Lastly, some solid news!… My employer offered me a long-term contract… Yay- now I get some UPSIDES!
• More importantly, it’s rare to be offered upsides as a part-time employee, so I’m extremely grateful for this!

Is Budgets Sexy Worth It?

Out of the list of ~30 “upsides” that are offered, the 2 biggest interests for me are - healthcare and 401k, baby! In an earlier post I mentioned I don’t have health insurance currently, so this problem might now be solved.

• I’m not eligible for the healthcare plan until after 30 days of employment, so there’s time to evaluate this choice… (at first glance, the lowest cost HDHP plan to cover me and my wife is $8,400 per year!! 😩.
• Remember that might be cheaper to just via Covered California!) As for the 401k plan, like any solid FIRE nerd I read the entire 17-page brochure the second it was sent to me.
• Then, I called the 401k plan administrator to introduce myself and ask them additional questions.

Where the Real Savings Hide

I’m not sure what shocked the administrator more; receiving a call from someone actually interested in learning, or the fact that I wasn’t even a hired employee yet! More to come on the healthcare and 401k details as I enjoy the glorious onboarding process.

As a rule, wishing you all a happy and relaxing weekend! - Joel *Typewriter up top by Markus Winkler! (Visited 13 times, 1 visits right now) Get blog posts automatically emailed to you!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I save money on budgets sexy?

Compare prices across a few retailers, look for active coupon codes, and time bigger buys around sales events. Kind of like J$’s net worth tracking - except I’ll be excluding a few real estate assets and partnerships my wife and I are a part of.

Is it worth shopping around for budgets sexy?

Usually yes. Worth noting: anyway, would it assist if I made a “partial net worth” snapshot and tracked asset growth over time?  Remember, net worth reports are less about the total $ number, and more about the progression and ongoin....

Smart Ways to Save More on Budgets Sexy

• Leave items in your cart for a day; some stores send a follow up discount.
• Pair cashback with a coupon so you save twice on the same order.
• Stack a coupon code with an existing sale whenever the store allows it.
• Sign up for the retailer newsletter to catch first time and seasonal discounts.
• Compare the final price including shipping, not just the headline number.

Final Thoughts

Before you check out, line up budgets sexy against current promotions and any codes you can stack. Small habits like these add up to real savings over a year.

Originally published at budgetsaresexy.com.