Tips on budgeting your money!!!!! I

Any budget is a really good idea. Its better than not budgeting alone. What I do is deposit the whole payroll check. I do not keep cash pon hand because its easier to spend. I transfer over what is left after bills and leave some spending in the checking account. If I start to fall short I simply transfer over a little more. It is so easy to spend money that is easily accessable. It works for me. Just another idea.

Good idea!! I know the same 'approach' doesn't work for everyone, however.......you need to do what works for you.

I have a problem, he more I budget, the more I have interruptions in following it. One of the reasons may be that I am trying on more 'ideal' budget. But several times, it has failed.
In contrast, when I plan less, I am more effective e.g if I failed to lend a few money from someone, I never bother. This is because, when I didn't get from there, I have few more options already in mind. This is due to due to more 'remembering' and making myself synchronise with the needs.
I budget only for expenses as although there are more thing that ' remember', I adjust myself for doing the things that were written on excel sheet only!!!(Of course, I write less on excel to save money(LOL)!!

DEVID85

It is not common there rather it is an universal problem but one must make sure that one should be ready to tackle any issue while dealing with these kind of emergencies.

That is a very nice spreadsheet of how to balance out your money. I have seen one that works in excel and is very nice when i find it on my computer again i will post it here if im allowed too. Always having your money organized and divided where to spend is always a good idea and helps manage money.

There are really good planners available but one just need to keep one thing in mind that one should take lunch, dinner, and B'fast only at one's home.

If one want to have party then purchase some items from store, prepare some at home and have a fun.

Most of the time one's expenses are increased just due to this incessant buying habit. (make sure you list it down b4 buying)

keep us informed.

I'm wondering how the people that budget on paper keep track of the actual paper. Maybe its just me, but I doodle & write notes several times a day. By the time the day is over, I have a huge pile of thoughts and stuff. Mix that with important paperwork & bills and things get lost!

Maybe i'm just unorganized?! lol I just don't know how a paper method would work for me. I'm just too bad with writing EVERYTHING down. I think its a great idea though. I'm just wondering how you file/keep track of your paper-format budgets!?

Hi marcusandila,

I have used the paper method for years until recently. Believe it or not there was no such thing as a computer my whole life. So I guess I just got use to it. But I bought a notebook and wrote all my bills in it. For most part they are the same every month so that also made it some what easier as well. But I also put myself on a budget and if it was gone its gone. I also have a small savings for the unexpected. Like emergencies. Now I have it setup in my bank account to where I just go in and select the day of the month and hit pay. It does make it so much easier.

Debra,

I guess it wouldnt be so bad to use the paper method. I grew up in the electronic era, so naturally our bill paying & budgeting is done electronically.

At one point, I had a "bill" folder that I bought. That lasted for a couple months but I kept losing it in the mounds of piles that i mentioned before.

Right now, we have a "home office" that my bf uses for working from home. But we have this really nice desk that has built in filing cabinets. My bf is really organized, so we have certain drawers allocated for certain things. One drawer is entirely for bills that come in & have been entered into excel. Another drawer is entirely for our houses [2]. We keep homeowners policies, rent stubs from our tenants, & etc.

I guess if we would have had our home office at the time when I was using the "bill folder" it would have probably been easier for me to pay bills & not keep losing the folder.

That's cute I know If it wouldn't be for the computer I would probably forget where I put mine to now. I have a condition that makes me forget a lot of stuff now. So I can appreciate the new technology we have now.

lol I dont know if I have a condition, but I forget things ALOT. It's horrible really. I can be walking from one room to the next & totally forget what I was going to do/find to begin with. LOL I read that eating certain fish helps you remember stuff though. :) I think my condition is just called, "ditzy" lol

Prepare household budget by confirming your needs and that will lead to saving of money. You have to select your true needs. For the saving you have to prepare inventory of your needs. Begin with the biggest items first, where the most potential for savings is, and move down the scale to the less expensive items. A moderate savings on one of the big items (houses and cars) combined with savings on the smaller items (food, clothes, etc.) can reap a large reward in your total budget.