The first step toward a sound financial future is budgeting. It enables you to take a close look at your monthly revenue and develop a detailed action plan for how you will spend your money before you actually do. Whether you want to reduce your monthly grocery spending, prepare for retirement, or pay off debt, creating a budget helps speed up the process.
Main Points
You can manage where your money is going by creating a budget.
Your ability to reach your financial objectives depends on your choice of budgeting method.
Making room for error helps you stay inside your budget.
Savings should be prioritized to improve financial stability.
Knowledge of Income
Knowing your monthly after-tax income, commonly referred to as your “take-home” pay, is the foundation of all budgeting. Setting your spending and saving objectives will be easier if you have a clear understanding of where your money comes from. Determine the monthly income you can expect to bring into your home to start.
Numerous sources of income are possible, such as your normal job, a side business, paying child support, or receiving government assistance. List all of your sources of income and then note the least amount that each one will contribute to your overall monthly revenue.
Note
If you work for yourself, your income could fluctuate. When creating your monthly budget, take into account utilizing your income from the month with the lowest income in the previous two years as the starting point.
Select a Budgeting Method
For some people, creating a budget can seem like an intimidating undertaking. The ideal budgeting strategy, though, is the one that works for you, so keep that in mind. There are numerous excellent budgeting strategies, but they all cater to various skill sets and monetary objectives. As a result, don’t feel as though you have to adhere to a rigid system, Kari Lorz, a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI) and the creator of Money for the Mamas, said The Balance in an email interview.
Using a 50/30/20 budget
The 50/30/20 budgeting plan can be worth a shot if you’re looking for a straightforward budgeting approach. Your monthly income is divided into three categories: needs, wants, and savings.
| TAKE-HOME PAY | BUDGET CATEGORY | TYPE OF EXPENSE |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | Needs | Mortgage/rent, food, utilities, transportation |
| 30% | Wants | Eating out, shopping, vacations, entertainment |
| 20% | Savings | Emergency fund, debt payoff, retirement |
Budgeting from nothing
You could enjoy zero-based budgeting if you want to know where every dollar you make is going. By planning out every dollar’s use before you spend it, it enables you to keep tabs on your expenditure.
Recall that zero-based budgeting does not advocate spending all of your resources. It is directing your funds toward your objectives and expenses such that, if there is any money left over after expenses, you are purposefully using it to pursue a goal like saving money or paying off debt.
Sort your spending into categories and decide exactly how much you’ll spend in each category and on what. Money should definitely be set aside initially for necessities including food, shelter, utilities, transportation, paying off debt, and other necessities.
Then, you might set aside some funds for starting an emergency fund or funding a savings account for a new home. The balance could be used on entertainment, travel, or other enjoyable costs. You will have the opportunity to review your budget and make any necessary changes at the end of each month.
Money Envelope
The cash envelope method is effective for folks who want a more tangible, hands-on budgeting solution to assist them rein in their spending.
This method entails marking envelopes with your budget’s many areas, such as transportation, utilities, and groceries. Then divide the actual money among the envelopes. You can only spend that much on that item for the month after the money runs out. It will be much more difficult to overspend if you use this strategy to develop a keen awareness of where your money is going.
Note
If you don’t want to use cash for everything, there are envelope budgeting programs you may use for electronic monies and credit or debit card payments.
Give yourself some leeway
It might become tiresome to constantly try to keep track of every dollar you spend. Therefore, one method to add breathing room to your budget is to set aside a particular sum of money each month to serve as your margin of error. According to Damian Dunn, Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Vice President of Advice with Your Money Line, “a margin is the secret sauce for sustaining a monthly budget and reaching your financial goals,” he told The Balance in an email interview.
Make sure you’re still responsible with money, though. You can give your budget a little wiggle room, but monitor your spending to ensure that you don’t go over the allowance you’ve allowed yourself.
Methods for Making a Margin
Finding out how much of your income you don’t have to spend each month is the key to building a margin. Your buffer or margin is that amount. “Having a margin enables us to cover the unforeseen expenses that arise each month without having to use credit or draw from our emergency fund. I prefer budgets with a 5% to 10% margin, according to Dunn.
Dunn acknowledged that your margin is influenced by your own circumstances, but advised, “Fight like hell to maintain it once you’ve achieved it.” In other words, resist allowing lifestyle creep to erode that safety net.
First, pay yourself.
Finding money to save can seem unattainable when trying to budget for a variety of expenses. Try setting aside money for savings first and paying bills with the remainder once your savings have been prepared. This practice is known as “paying oneself first.”
Set up automatic savings contributions to accomplish this so you can start saving before you spend your paycheck.
“Automated contributions to savings accounts assist establish an out-of-sight, out-of-mind strategy. I would contend that failing to prioritize your savings will prevent you from ever advancing in life, said Lorrie Delk Walker, a financial counselor at Allen & Company in Lakeland, Florida, in an email to The Balance.
Invest in a budgeting app
A budgeting software can help you keep track of your finances from the comfort of your hand when you need extra assistance managing your spending. The finest app for you is one whose costs and features match your budget. Several well-liked options include:
- Mint by Intuit is a free service that integrates all of your accounts, automatically classifies your transactions, assists you in creating budgets, and keeps tabs on your spending.
- The zero-based budgeting method is used by the software You Need a Budget (YNAB). Additionally, you can link your accounts, control spending, eliminate debt, and save money. There is a free trial available for this paid service.
- Pocket Guard: Aids in automatic saving, account linking, and expenditure optimization. The entry-level version is no cost.
Follow Your Development
Budgeting is fundamentally just a spending plan. Observe your spending to see what is effective, where you are having difficulty, and where your money is going. Starting out, it could be helpful to keep tabs on your expenditure on a daily or weekly basis and review your budgeting strategy every few months. You can perform evaluations at longer intervals once you’ve chosen a strategy that you believe to be effective.
Jeff Grampp, CFF and director at Gateway Investor Relations, told The Balance in an email interview that tracking progress and making adjustments is essential. “Over time, both prices and consumption patterns change. So, every year or so, take some time to evaluate your situation and determine whether your budget is accurate.
Questions and Answers (FAQs)
Budgeting – what is it?
Making a continuous and conscious strategy for your money is the process of budgeting. Ensure that your budget suits you. It could be time to adjust your budget if you feel constrained by it. Make sure you include some enjoyable objectives or splurges in your budget. You’ll be more likely to persevere if you do it that way.
What makes budgeting crucial?
In order to ensure that you have enough money to cover your bills and that you are intentional with how you spend the remainder of your income, budgeting is essential. It enables you to keep a tight eye on your spending, savings, and overall financial situation. It’s simpler for you to manage your money and make wise spending selections when you build a plan and set goals. You can spot financial opportunities and threats more readily.
What are a few typical budgeting errors?
It might be difficult to stick to a budget, and being stingy doesn’t help. You can become so upset that you give up on your budget if your budget has little room for error or if you’re too hard on yourself. Track your expenditures, put money aside for an emergency fund, and routinely check your budget to make sure it’s working for you.
