Budgeting in 2020

Dang, it's been a while since I wrote anything here!

There is some discussion on FaceBook about the budget topic on the upcoming AMC meeting. I added my 2¢.

It should be kept in mind that a budget is a spending/saving PLAN, not an inflexible mandate. Sometimes, plans have to change.

I might budget my money in order to afford to attend the AG,but should my house get struck by lightning in May and I need to replace my roof, I damned well better nix the AG expenditure from my budget or else change my holiday gift shopping to socks only. Likewise, should I win the lottery in August, I’m not a fiscally irresponsible person if I then change my budget to include a splurge on attending a gathering in Europe.

The AMC back long ago PLANNED to toss a lot of money back into the Life Members pot. I was on that AMC. Heck, I was in on the whole slippery slope process of the lawsuit that got us in this mess. I’m also a life member-- one of those pre-paid folks the money was borrowed from. Subsequent economic circumstances and spending priorities seem to have made those aspirations of refilling the coffers within 14 years a no-go.

I’m perfectly ok with the AMC approaching their budget as a well-intentioned, realistic PLAN for the year. I’m ok with building flexibility into the ASIEs and Bylaws. I’m even ok with the organization officially being in the red... for a while. But I absolutely think the budget should include a greater priority on restoring  some savings cushion (call it “equity restoration,” “Life members fund,” or “cash under the mattress”) for the next rainy day.

There will be one. The fires in Australia, the stock market crashing, and this current pandemic should have taught even non-Mensans that lesson.

Put in place whatever rules you need for flexibility, but figure out how to save some money and do it.