What Alligators Taught Me About Budgeting

July 14, 2015

My family and I are history buffs so we try to choose cities with lots of history to visit. This year, we chose St. Augustine, Fl. It is considered to be the oldest city in the country and is full of historical sites and museums that kept the kids entertained.

One of their favorite activities was the visit to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. As I watched and learned about alligators, I realized that alligators can teach us a lot about budgets. Here are the top three things I learned from my trip to the alligator farm:

Sometimes your current environment requires you to be more flexible. An alligator’s sex is determined by temperature. Eggs exposed to temperatures about 93 degrees Fahrenheit from days 7 to 21 become male and eggs exposed to temperatures below 86 degree Fahrenheit during that same time period become female. I am sure you are wondering what on earth this has to do with finances, but work with me. Understand that as things come up, you may have to adjust your budget.

For instance, summers are more expensive as a parent. Do not feel that you are a financial failure if you find that you have a hard time making your budget work in the summer. I have to adjust my spending to account for higher daycare/summer camp expenses, higher electric bills and higher gas costs since we tend to travel more. Looking at a 2014 July checking account statement can give you a good indicator of how much you may need to adjust your budget to account for higher expenses during the summer.

Sometimes waiting is the best answer. I went to the farm excited to see alligators walking around. I know those of you that have seen alligators are probably chuckling right now because when I was at the farm, they barely move, conserving all of their strength.

My financial takeaway from watching the alligators is that there is wisdom to waiting before making a major financial decision like buying a car or a home. Conserving your financial strength means making sure that your financial house is in order, that you have and follow a budget, and that you have 3-6 months of expenses saved. If not, you may not have the financial strength to withstand budget busters like major home repairs or car repairs. Sometimes the best financial decision is waiting.

We all grow and change throughout our lifetimes. I learned that alligators continue to grow throughout their lifetimes. As we grow and change, your budget may need to adjust to the changes. Remember, your budget is not a set it and forget it plan. It is something that needs to be changed and sometimes adjusted.

As a parent, I find the first month of school to be the most expensive in terms of buying clothes since they outgrew everything, the infamous school supply list and school activity fees. I know to start saving in July for the expenses I will have to pay when my kids start school. Then I slowly start looking for deals in July. I hit up all of the consignment stores for clothes (especially uniforms) before parents start thinking about school and I empty the dollar stores for school supplies the second it hits the shelf. With a little bit of adjusting like the alligators, you will be ready for anything that comes your way.