08/08/2023
HOW TO MAKE A BUDGET:
1. Write down your total income for the upcoming month.
— This is your take-home (after tax) pay for both you and, if you're married, your spouse. That includes: full-time jobs, second jobs, freelance pay, Social Security checks, and any other source of income.
2. List ALL of your expenses.
— This includes regular expenses (rent or mortgage, electricity, etc.) and your irregular expenses (quarterly payments like insurance or annual HOA fees) that are due. After that, list other expenses, like food, gas, and entertainment. Then, add any savings to that. EVERY dollar you plan to spend and save should be accounted for. It's helpful to add a miscellaneous category, especially the first few times you create a budget. This will ensure you have some extra money on hand if another category ends up being more than planned.
3. Subtract your expenses from your income. This should equal ZERO.
— If you're over or under, check your math or simply return to the previous step and rearrange your plans. Remember, this doesn't mean that you have no money left over at the end of the month, this just means that every single dollar is accounted for and has a "job" to do.
4. Track your spending throughout the month.
— Once the month begins, track your spending. This will help you see if you stayed on budget, and also let you know how much you have left to spend in each category. This gives you a huge sense of control over your money. You don't have to worry if you have enough to get gas when you've made a plan beforehand and stuck to it.
