Budgeting For The Zombie Apocalypse
The zombie apocalypse is a simple thing for which to prepare. No, it's not necessarily easy - stockpiling nonperishables, water, guns and ammo is definitely not easy - but it is straight forward. When getting ready for the host of reanimated dead to overtake the world, you need to prepare for survival and self-defense. And your pre-zombie apocalypse budget is the perfect place to start readying yourself in order to survive a zombie-filled world.
TUTORIAL: Budgeting Basics
1. Embrace Simplicity
Survival is the top priority during a zombie apocalypse. Entertainment, fun, hobbies and other non-necessary activities will probably be thrown by the wayside. Instead, you will focus on acquiring food, eliminating zombies and securing your safety. By comparison, when embracing simplicity in your budget, you focus on eliminating debt and securing your financial future through savings. (For related reading, see The Beauty Of Budgeting.)
2. Have an Emergency Plan
In life, there are emergencies, and then, there are EMERGENCIES. The zombie apocalypse definitely qualifies as the all-cap kind, but in the world of financial preparation, so does a job loss, unexpected medical bill or certain home repairs. Creating a plan for dealing with these unexpected, immediate expenses in your budget will help you learn to be resourceful when the zombies are on the loose. (For related reading, see Debunking 10 Budget Myths.)
3. Set Clear Goals
During a zombie apocalypse, you will probably have very clear-cut, short-term goals, like getting food, staying alive (and non-zombified) and finding a safe place to catch a few Zs at night. Your long-term goals might be to find the one place left on earth that is unsullied by brain-eating mutants. The best-run budgets have the same approach to goal setting. Just a few very simple and clear budgeting goals for the short-term - such as paying off credit card and other high-interest debt, saving for your child's education or your own retirement. (For more, see Bloated Budget? How To Trim The Fat.)
4. Be Ready to Run
There are always times, in any zombie apocalypse, when the ammunition runs out and the undead hordes overwhelm you - the only tasty-brained non-zombie in the area. During these moments, you have got to be ready to run. You need to have all your supplies together and in reach, so that you aren't leaving behind anything vital to your survival when you flee. In your budget, you need to be ready for those times when work, home life and other obligations get in the way of organized bill payment and saving efforts. If you don't, you will face late charges, credit setbacks and wasted money. You can prepare for these busy times by setting up auto-pay for your bills and auto transfers from your checking to savings accounts.
5. Ration Everything
When the world is run by revenants, there will be no more mass production of food. The water supply may become polluted as factories begin to crumble, and you may not always be able to access fresh food and water sources. This makes it imperative that you ration everything for the unexpected - that you treat each can of SPAM and flask of water as if it were your last. In your budget, rationing your money means treating your paycheck as if it's a limited commodity and not something that is followed by additional paychecks at regular intervals. If you live as though this paycheck is your last, you'd be amazed how little you can get away with spending. (For related reading, see 6 Reasons Why You NEED A Budget.)
TUTORIAL: Setting Up A Budget
The Bottom Line
You might think that the possibility of a zombie apocalypse means there is no need for you to work on a budget for yourself and your family. But with the skills you'll learn preparing your budget and the savings you'll accumulate in doing so, you will actually be a powerful contender for survival in the event that zombies rise from their not-so-final resting places looking for brains. Best of all, if the dead decide to rest in peace, your preparation will help you avoid a personal finance apocalypse. (For related reading, see Budgeting While You're In College.)
TUTORIAL: Budgeting Basics
1. Embrace Simplicity
Survival is the top priority during a zombie apocalypse. Entertainment, fun, hobbies and other non-necessary activities will probably be thrown by the wayside. Instead, you will focus on acquiring food, eliminating zombies and securing your safety. By comparison, when embracing simplicity in your budget, you focus on eliminating debt and securing your financial future through savings. (For related reading, see The Beauty Of Budgeting.)
2. Have an Emergency Plan
In life, there are emergencies, and then, there are EMERGENCIES. The zombie apocalypse definitely qualifies as the all-cap kind, but in the world of financial preparation, so does a job loss, unexpected medical bill or certain home repairs. Creating a plan for dealing with these unexpected, immediate expenses in your budget will help you learn to be resourceful when the zombies are on the loose. (For related reading, see Debunking 10 Budget Myths.)
During a zombie apocalypse, you will probably have very clear-cut, short-term goals, like getting food, staying alive (and non-zombified) and finding a safe place to catch a few Zs at night. Your long-term goals might be to find the one place left on earth that is unsullied by brain-eating mutants. The best-run budgets have the same approach to goal setting. Just a few very simple and clear budgeting goals for the short-term - such as paying off credit card and other high-interest debt, saving for your child's education or your own retirement. (For more, see Bloated Budget? How To Trim The Fat.)
4. Be Ready to Run
There are always times, in any zombie apocalypse, when the ammunition runs out and the undead hordes overwhelm you - the only tasty-brained non-zombie in the area. During these moments, you have got to be ready to run. You need to have all your supplies together and in reach, so that you aren't leaving behind anything vital to your survival when you flee. In your budget, you need to be ready for those times when work, home life and other obligations get in the way of organized bill payment and saving efforts. If you don't, you will face late charges, credit setbacks and wasted money. You can prepare for these busy times by setting up auto-pay for your bills and auto transfers from your checking to savings accounts.
5. Ration Everything
When the world is run by revenants, there will be no more mass production of food. The water supply may become polluted as factories begin to crumble, and you may not always be able to access fresh food and water sources. This makes it imperative that you ration everything for the unexpected - that you treat each can of SPAM and flask of water as if it were your last. In your budget, rationing your money means treating your paycheck as if it's a limited commodity and not something that is followed by additional paychecks at regular intervals. If you live as though this paycheck is your last, you'd be amazed how little you can get away with spending. (For related reading, see 6 Reasons Why You NEED A Budget.)
TUTORIAL: Setting Up A Budget
The Bottom Line
You might think that the possibility of a zombie apocalypse means there is no need for you to work on a budget for yourself and your family. But with the skills you'll learn preparing your budget and the savings you'll accumulate in doing so, you will actually be a powerful contender for survival in the event that zombies rise from their not-so-final resting places looking for brains. Best of all, if the dead decide to rest in peace, your preparation will help you avoid a personal finance apocalypse. (For related reading, see Budgeting While You're In College.)
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