How to Solve Your Financial Problems with Budgeting
There are lots of people in this world that have financial problems. These problems come in many different shapes and sizes…sometimes we don’t even know they exist.
What type of financial problem(s) do you have?
- Do you have lots of debt and you can’t seem to see a light at the end of the tunnel?
- Do you have a problem with saving money and putting it away for future events and emergencies?
- Do you overspend every month on things you shouldn’t have?
- Do you and your spouse have communication issues dealing with money?
- Do you have a tendency to not save for retirement?
- Do you struggle to make ends meet and having money at the end of the money?
- Do you not have a job, or recently lost your job?
Regardless of the financial problem that you have, your problem can be solved by creating and applying a budget into your life. It may be hard at first, but over the long run, you will greatly benefit from keeping a budget.
Why? Because having a budget keeps you in control. You can categorize and know where your money is going each and every month. Budgeting gives you peace of mind knowing exactly what your financial picture looks like.
To get started, follow these four simple steps:
Step #1 – Grab a pen and paper, or use a spreadsheet.
It really doesn’t matter what you write your budget on… what matters is that it is written down and you can view it and tweak it often. Putting it on paper gives you the ability to track it and know what is happening each month.
Step #2 – Write down your income.
List out every income source that you have and the amount that earn each month. This could be a paycheck from an employer, self-employed earnings, or even investment and interest income. List them all out and add them all together to create a total line.
Step #3 – Write down your expenses
List every expense that you currently have for each month, regardless if it is a small or large amount. In this step, it’s all about finding each piece of the puzzle. When you have all of the expenses listed out, you’ll know exactly what you are spending your money on and how much. List them all out and add them all together to create a total line.
Step #4 – Income Minus Expenses
Now take your combined totals and subtract your income from your expenses. In a perfect world, you will have a positive number left at the end. This means that you are saving money every month. However, you may end up with a negative number. If you fall in this category, then you need to find ways to cut out things that you are spending money on each month.
Conclusion:
If you have never created a budget, then get on it! Your financial life will benefit from it. In a world full of financial problems, you don’t have to be a part of it. Budgeting will help you gain control of your finances, giving each dollar a purpose, and making sure that you are in control.
