There are plenty of demands involved with running a family. You need to make sure you get the kids to school on time, provide them with support and healthy meals, clean the home, and even go to work every day. With so much on your plate, it's easy to see why so many people have trouble finding the time to create a household budget. However, regardless of what kind of income you have, it's important to look at your household finances with care, because that's the only reasonable way to control them.
Creating a great family budget takes time, so before you start on the steps we outline in this article, make sure that you set aside a few hours on a day where you don't have any pressing obligations to deal with. Decide on what kind of goal you want to accomplish, and work from there.
1. Choose your Preferred Budgeting Style
The first step in launching a successful budget is figuring out how you're going to track your expenses. A pen and piece of paper can be just as effective as an app or online tool for some people. However, it's worth noting that software can help to reduce the number of errors you're likely to encounter when you're working on your budget. If paper feels better to you, remember that an accounting ledger doesn't cost much, and it comes with all the segments you need to organise your money.
On the other hand, if you're a digital nomad, a budgeting software tool from Pigly might be the best solution, as it allows you to track your expenses in digital format and add it all up at the end of each month.
Pigly doesn't just have a budgeting calculator either. They have some amazing tools to help people save money like their payoff goal, and even calculators that can show your miles per gallon.
Their site is super handy and I would suggest bookmarking it to help with your monthly budgets!
2. Don't Miss Anything Out
Sometimes, it's hard to face the truth when you have problems with your spending habits. However, it's important to make sure that you bring everything to the table when considering your finances. Everything that shows your incoming and outgoing cash, such as your bank statements and receipts, has a place on your budget strategy. Separate everything into two categories for incoming and outgoing expenses, then work from there.
Remember, your aim here shouldn't be to cut out all the outgoing expenses that aren't essential. If you enjoy things like going to the gym or watching Netflix, you'll need to think about where you can compromise to make certain expenses more manageable.
3. Control Discretionary Spending Realistically
Generally, the largest portion of your outgoing money each month should go towards bills. However, if you have an issue with overspending on luxury items like coffees away from home and nights out with your friends, then you might find that the discretionary portion of your spending starts to build up dramatically. A few pounds on movie tickets and take away a month quickly adds up.
When the numbers are laid out in front of you in black and white, it's easier to come to terms with what you're really spending - although you might not like the numbers. If you're not happy, a good way to control your discretionary spending is to stop using your credit or debit card and start using the "envelope" method instead. The money you allocate for expenses every month goes into the envelope and you stick to that number no matter what.
4. Work on Getting Rid of Debt
Debt reduction might be one of the major goals of your budgeting activities, but it should also be something that you're thinking about when you're trying to cut costs too. After all, the more you're spending out on interest each month, the less you'll have to spend on other important things - or save towards your future.
5. Commit Yourself to Your Goals
Finally, while budgeting might be simple enough on the surface, it's rarely as easy as it seems. In simple terms, a good budget starts with knowing what you earn, and understanding how much you spend. Of course, what makes it complicated is the fact that you need to decide where you're going to cut back and divert your spending.
Even if you put a budget carefully into place, there's a chance that you could encounter an unexpected expense that takes you off track. Don't let little hurdles get in the way of your overall goals. If things go wrong, pick yourself up and start again. Don't lose hope.
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