The Budget: Pretending Monopoly Money Is Real Money
At this point in your volunteer-told PM career, you’ve mastered meetings, wrangled stakeholders, and even survived scope creep.
Now, someone will inevitably ask:
“So, how’s the budget looking?”
And you’ll realize you’ve been handed a spreadsheet full of numbers, expectations, and the faint hope that money grows on trees.
1. Budget Basics (AKA: Don’t Panic)
Your budget usually boils down to three things:
- People (time = money, even if no one admits it)
- Stuff (software, tools, contractors, coffee supplies)
- Surprises (because something will go wrong)
If you can track those three buckets, you’re already ahead.
2. The Myth of the Fixed Budget
Budgets are like diets. Everyone swears they’ll stick to them, but sooner or later, someone sneaks in extra “snacks.”
In project terms: last-minute requests, overtime, or a new vendor contract.
Tip: Always expect to go a little over. Build in a buffer so you don’t look shocked when it happens.
3. Speak in Business Terms
Executives don’t care about line items. They care about:
- Are we over or under?
- Why?
- Do we need to adjust?
Keep it high-level. No one wants a 17-tab breakdown of pencil costs.
4. Watch Out for the Hidden Costs
Budget creep is as sneaky as scope creep.
Travel, training, “just a quick consultant call” — it all adds up.
Document everything, because trust me, someone will ask later.
5. Your Best Friend: The Phrase “Let’s Revisit the Budget”
When someone wants to add more to the project, gently remind them: “Yes, but let’s revisit the budget.”
It’s a polite way of saying, “Sure, if you can find Monopoly money.”
Closing Thought
Budgets are less about math and more about storytelling. You’re not just tracking numbers — you’re showing how resources are being used to bring the project to life.
And if you can keep the numbers from turning red, you’ll look like a miracle worker.
This was Chapter Nine of The Bible of the Volunteer-Told Project Manager.
Stay tuned for Chapter Ten: “Conflict Management: When Bob and Karen Can’t Even Sit in the Same Meeting.”