Badgers are pretty cool little beasts, aren't they?

Well, that is, unless one is pissed off at you. Then they aren't so cool. They're pretty terrifying, actually.

There's a lot you can learn from a badger - especially in this lousy economy.

The Badger Principles

• Be tenacious. Decide what you want, then go after it. 
• Protect what is yours. 
• Have a plan. Stick to it. 
• Don't be afraid of hard work and sacrifice.
• Make the most of the opportunities given to you. 

How does that apply to saving money?

• We decided to take control of our finances - and we've been pursuing it hot and heavy.
• Mr. Badger works very hard for the money he makes - It's OURS, and we want to protect it!
• Budgeting sucks, and while we've made advancements, the war isn't over yet. But we're sticking to it.
• Whenever you talk about money and household things, you have to make a choice: You either spend time or money. We choose to spend time on doing our own projects as much as possible. That means we don't spend money. This is especially true in the kitchen. We can buy bread for $2.00 a loaf, or I can make it for about 49 cents a loaf - including the electricity to bake it. Time.. or money... Take your pick.
• We never pass up free stuff or opportunities to learn new skills. I think we've used most of it at one time or another - the stuff and the skills.

In the end, being a Money Badger means going after every penny, watching it, protecting it, and deciding if what you're going to trade it for is worth the time spent to earn that penny.

Think of it this way: If you make $15.00 an hour, is it really worth three hours of work out of your work week to buy some popcorn and see a movie on a Saturday night that might last two hours? Is it? (And yes, I'm told movie tickets are 15.00 a piece now, and popcorn and drinks isn't much better)

I always think of things in terms of how long it took to earn that money. If I am not willing to work that many hours to pay for something, it's a deal breaker. It's all about value and perspective - and there is no right or wrong; only what works for you, and what doesn't. This blog will be about what works for me and Mr. Badger.