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Go Frugal Budgeting A Tool for the Frugal Homemaker Budgeting is not fun for most people.  However, if you are going to control your money, as opposed to it controlling you, budgeting is a necessity.  You must know how much money you earn each month, and how much money you spend. Most people are surprised the first time they do a budget to see the actual numbers on how they are spending their money.  The only way to get an accurate number is to record all of your expenses for at least a month.  After that, it gets easier. There are many ways to budget your money.  You don't need a spreadsheet to keep track of your expenses.  A simple paper and pencil will do it. Add up your income, and then total your expenses.  If your expenses are higher than your income, you have two choices.  You can either cut your expenses, or make more money.  Otherwise, you will go into debt every month. It is a lot easier to cut expenses than to make more money.  If you eliminate $10  from your monthly expenditures, you will have 10 more dollars to make ends meet.  If you go out to work and make $10, you will only see approximately $6.00 of it after taxes and other deductions. Sometimes it is just a matter of analyzing your expenses and making the necessary changes  to live within your means.  You may have to give up things that you've come to expect."  It is never easy to give up things that you enjoy or that are a habit.  When you decide to go frugal, you can't pull the Band-Aid  off slowly.  You must rip it off. If, after making spending cuts, you have enough money for your needs, you can use the envelope system, or another method for keeping track of your money and expenditures. What do you do, however, if there just isn't enough money to divide it into categories?  That is where you have to learn to be creative, and "think on your feet."  You use the money that is left after your fixed expenses (rent, utilities and other recurring and expected payments)  to do what is most important each month.  You have to decide each month where to spend money. If you want your budget to work, you must create an emergency fund, or you will go into debt.  Life happens.  Things break.  People get sick and so on.  Set some money aside for these time.  Even if you can't set aside much money, start the habit. There are many schools of thought on budgeting.  Here are links to some articles that may help you decide how you want to do it. 7 Ways To Beat The Debt Collector A Budget That Really Works Budgeting For Dummies Your money is your time.  It is the minutes, hours, and weeks of your life.  Don't waste it.  Learn to live frugally and with thrift.  Use your strength and health to make sure you have enough for your needs when you are older.  I've heard people say that "...if they knew they were going to live so long, they would have taken better care of their health." Money is no different.  Take care of your money now...so it will take care of you later. About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!

 

 

 

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