Creating a Foundation for a Budget

For the witch who's getting their shit together.

Financial Foundation Checklist

A budget won't work if you don’t set yourself up for one

How many times have you "started a budget" only to fall off a week or two into it? You think it's the wrong template, the wrong app, and if you could just get _____ you'd finally be able to stick to one. But the truth is, there is so much clouding and blocking up our mindset around money, which is why most practitioners struggle with abundance magick. Start with shadow work, get clear on your intentions, and let your higher self guide your financial decisions, and you're in witchy business, my friend. The following checklist is a step-by-step process for creating sustainable, intentional spending practices, without any of the guilt, empty shortcuts, or unrealistic standards.

✔ Money Shadow Work

Before you create a budget, you have to be aware of your personal habits, patterns, and mindset around finances, working, saving, and spending. Doing your shadow work around money is one of the best ways to get really clear on this. Check out our Money Shadow Work bonus episode for more on money shadow work, including a powerful releasing ritual.

✔ Values

What do you care about most in this world? What are your non-negotiables? It is essential to anchor into your values. You can google a list of values on the internet, or you may already have an idea of what these are for you. Your values will but you in the best headspace for categorizing your Needs and Wants.

✔ Needs

Write out a complete list of your personal and household’s needs. This does not need to be the bare bones list we’ve been led to believe it should be. You determine what is a true need and what is not. What may be a need to one person could definitely be considered a want by another. I would say that a need should be a checkbox on your list of things you require (again, non-negotiable) to refuel, recharge, grow, and thrive.

✔ Wants

Now compile a list of the things you enjoy purchasing, but don’t necessarily qualify as a “need” for you or your household. Wants are not a bad thing, they’re simply part of becoming intentional with your purchasing habits and decisions. If any guilt bubbles up, that’s an area calling for that Money Shadow Work. Treat yourself with realism and understanding when listing both your wants and needs.

✔ Goals/Landmarks

Goals should make you feel motivated and inspired, not limited and impossible. So don’t just get clear on your goals, really understand why you have the aspirations you do. And if the term “goals” feels burdensome, think of these instead as benchmarks, landmarks, dreams, aspirations, vision, etc. Goals should always be honest, authentic, and specific to effectively bring them from our mental/emotional realm into our physical experience and journey.

✔ Regularly Track This Information

Listen, there’s no way around it—you gotta get in the habit of looking at your money. Even if you’re someone who has the ability to hire someone to run their finances, they still have to look at their money. It ain’t going anywhere, and it certainly isn’t doing you a single ounce of good by ignoring it like a monster in the corner.

You can document this (which is essentially just the bones of a starter budget sheet) or you can even start by just simply looking at your numbers on a regular basis, like once per month. Focus first on building the habit, which will also help to start decreasing anxiety and fear that may have been building up.

✔ Find/Create a Budget Template You Like

This can be as fancy or as simple as you like. There are lots of templates from amazing financial advisors and coaches out there, and they’re easier than ever to find! YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are all regular hangouts for coaches in this industry, offering their tips, resources, templates, and tools for organizing your finances and creating a budget.

Or you can use a free template on Google Sheets, Microsoft Xcel, Notion, or Canva. Don’t be afraid to try a couple of different options to see what you like!

My biggest advice is NOT to skip to this step first. This is the most common mistake (guilty as charged btw) and why so many people fall off their budget and struggle to fully develop an intentional and mindful spending practice. Give yourself the time to really flush out this foundation and heal your money wounds, and you will be setting yourself up for longevity, sustainability, and success in your financial journey.