There’s a quiet kind of power in setting healthy boundaries with the people we love. I didn’t always know that. But one evening at a fancy steakhouse, I learned how friendship, budgeting, and simple, honest communication can sit at the same table and all be respected. That night, I chose my values, I kept my friend, and I left with something worth more than a pricey entrée: peace of mind.
Before we ever opened the restaurant’s heavy glass doors, I told my friend the truth. I was watching my spending. I could enjoy the evening, but I needed to order light. That was me saying, out loud, that I had a budget and planned to stick to it—a small act that felt like a big step toward financial boundaries and mutual respect.
