Wife needed some clothes. She was long overdue and I trust her judgment. So we budgeted $100 that month for clothes, even though she didn’t find anything. She looked off and on for another two months, until one day when she was about to spend $300 on clothing she just found.

Gasp. Time to clutch my chest and feel the agony of spending money. And such a big amount!

At least, that’s how everything went early in our marriage. Wife would say we needed to make a purchase and I — not knowing enough of our finances to be very involved — would go into panic lock-down mode.

This time, though, it was peaceful.

Before we took charge of our finances as a team, every dollar spent was evil to me. Before I got involved and started participating in our spending and saving, any purchase meant removing a bite out of this month’s pie, leaving everything tighter and more stressful.

Now, when we need to make an irregular purchase, we budget for it. If it’s too big to cashflow in one month, we save for it over the next few months. And then the money is sitting there, ready for us to put it to work. Like a dog nearly jumping out of her skin waiting to go for a walk.

And with this almost boring understanding of money, purchases were no longer evil. It no longer felt like money was being ripped from our hands. There was so much less stress when making financial decisions.

It’s not evil if you put it in the budget.

I tell you, the difference from early in our marriage to now is huge. When it was time to spend $300 on much needed clothing, I didn’t even wince. It wouldn’t have even mattered much if it turned into one piece of clothing or a hundred. It felt so intentional, and I wish this same feeling for you.

Realize the need. Plan for it. Set money aside.

And when it’s time to make a purchase, you can do so without any anxiety or fear. You can relax and enjoy the peace of the moment.