Tag Archive for budgeting

Why It’s Good To Keep A Household Budget

September 25, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

budget dollars

You work hard to earn a living. So it’s best to make wise decisions when you spend that money. That’s where a household budget comes in.

A budget has obvious advantages. Like seeing at a glance what we have coming in, what’s going out (and what that money is paying for). You also get an idea if there’s anything left at the end of the month to put into savings.

 

Before we dive into exactly what a budget can do for us, let’s consider a few points. What will happen if we’re not tracking income and expenses?

You may end up spending more than you’re making in a given month (or two, or three). Over time that can put you into some pretty hot financial water. You may also spend a lot more than you’d like to believe on things like eating out, going to the movies or new clothes.

Having a budget gives you more control over your true spending wishes. That could be dinner and a movie, or not. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an actual choice?

A Budget Tracks Where Your Money Is Going

A budget’s only job is to track your money. You record where the money comes from each month (your income) and then write out everything you spend it on.

Start with your regular monthly bills. These include your mortgage or rent, utility bills etc.

What’s left is your discretionary income.

A Budget Helps You Spot Wasted Money

Having it all in front of you in black and white helps you identify things you’re wasting your money on.

Budgeting forces you to reconsider if you want to spend well over $200 a month on Cable TV. Or $150 on your large cell phone plan. Or how about that yearly magazine subscription to something you no longer read? Go through your expenses and reevaluate if this is REALLY how you want to spend your paycheck.

A Budget Allows You To Be Proactive About Savings

Saving money without a budget is hard. We go in with the best of intentions at the beginning of the month. But somehow there isn’t anything left at the end of the month.

A budget gives you a chance to be a bit more proactive. Set aside some money for savings at the beginning of the month, even a small amount like $20.

Put it in the budget as a regular expense, much like you do with your other urgent bills. If you need to, open a separate savings account so you’re not tempted to spend it.

A Budget Ensures You’re Not Spending More Than You’re Making

Your budget will keep you on track and help you avoid overspending. And I don’t have to tell you that that’s pretty important for your financial well-being.

JohnK 9-25-2017
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Image for overheard for budgetOverheard: ““While money can’t buy happiness, it certainly lets you choose your own form of misery.” 
                                        ~ Groucho Marx

 

 

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Do You Have A Financial Safety Net? (And How To Build One)

September 18, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments
 
Do you have a financial safety net? It’s something worth thinking about and setting up. What will happen to you and your loved ones if you lose your job for a few months?
 
What if you get into an accident that prevents you from earning a living? Or what if some unexpected expenses come up. Do you have anything in place to make sure the bills continue to get paid?
 
If not, now is the time to get started. But where do you actually start?
 
financial help ideas
 
Three to six months’ worth of living expenses saved in an interest-bearing account is a good start. Figure out what your family needs to live on if all income stops. Then start saving as much money as you can until you have built up this safety net.
 
Trim expenses for eating out, going to the movies, buying the newest TV and Tech gadget and the like. Add these to your savings account until you’ve saved enough to have a comfortable cushion. To make this step go even faster, add any bonuses, tax refunds etc. as well.
 
But don’t stop there. Make it a goal to add to your safety cushion as you can and come back and revise your numbers from time to time. Your living expenses may go up or down over time. You can adjust the amount you need and set aside savings in an account where you can get at it with no hassle.
 
Life and disability insurance are another important part of your financial safety net. Do you have a plan in place to continue to cover your living expenses (or those of your family) when you can no longer work? Call your insurance agent and go over your current coverage. Make sure the insurance you’re paying for will pay out what you need and if not, make adjustments.
 
Next, consider investing any further savings into higher interest-bearing accounts. You may not be able to access money invested here right away. But the funds will come in handy when you’re dealing with a long-term financial emergency or are ready to retire. Plenty of investment vehicles have a higher yield than your bank savings account.
 
Talk to your financial adviser, Work out a plan that’s right for you, your family, and whatever the future may hold.
 
JohnK 9-18-2017
 
Image for overheard for financial wisdomOverheard: “All money is a matter of belief.”
           ~Adam Smith
 
 
 
 
 

How To Plan For Unexpected Expenses

September 14, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments
 
It always seems to happen at the wrong time. The car’s transmission blows just as your daughter gets her braces. Or your washing machine decides to call it quits.
 
These unexpected expenses will pop up throughout life. You want to prepare as well as possible for those times when life throws you a financial curve ball.
 
Do your best to plan ahead for upcoming expenses. If you’re driving an older car, or your dishwasher has seen its better days, start saving up to replace the item. You may also want to start keeping an eye out for good deals on the replacement.
 
budgeting expenses
 
An even better strategy is to have an emergency savings fund. Set up a savings account and add to it monthly. Use it only for completely unexpected expenses.
 
Make sure you know what’s in the account. And once you have to take money out of it replace it as soon as possible.
 
This brings us to an important point. How to make a quick recovery after taking a hit to your wallet.
 
Go over your budget (you have one of those, right?) and see if you can cut back on some things for the time being.
 
Stop ordering pizza every Friday night and make your own at home. Skip a night out on the town and watch a couple of movies on Netflix instead of going to the theater.
 
Use the money you’re not spending over the next few months to refill your emergency fund. For an extra boost, you might work a few hours of overtime. Or do a few freelance projects. You might pick up a short-term part time job to get back on track fast.
 
dollar expenses
 
But what do you do when the expense comes up before you had a chance to set up the emergency fund? Take a deep breath and assess the situation.
 
Can you make do without the item for a little while? At least long enough to scrape together the funds to repair or replace it?
 
If it’s the dishwasher, that’s easy. You can wash dishes by hand for a little while.
 
If it’s the fridge or the car you rely on to get you to work each day, that’s a different story.
 
If it’s your car decide if it would be better to repair than replace. Even if it isn’t the perfect solution, it may get you to work while you save up for the car you want.
 
Shuffle your money around and if there is no other option charge it to the credit card and get to work. Your one and only goal right now is to pay off that expense.
 
Sock away every available penny. Once you pay off your credit cards do what you can to get that emergency fund set up.
 
And be ready for any surprises down the road.
 
JohnK 9-12-2017