Find Budgeting Software @ Budget-Sheet.com Home Budget Sheet Budgeting Software Budgeting Articles Best Budgeting Software! We encourage you to visit the budgeting software sites below for more information or to find budgeting software information! It's really that simple! We Make It Easy For You To Find Budgeting Software And Budgeting Help! Budgeting Software, Budgeting Money How to Make a Budget, Establish a Budget Spending Plan Does the idea of planning for your financial future seem too complex or confusing? Do you think you can't save money because you're barely making ends meet as it is? All excuses aside, there are two good reasons to seize control of your finances now: You can no longer count on your employer or the government to provide for you now or in the future. You must make your own plans. Financial planning is the key to paying for those big ticket items — buying your own home or funding a college education for your children. The sooner you start planning for the future, the sooner you'll reap the rewards. Use this guide to help you build your financial freedom. Establish a Spending Plan The first step toward financial freedom is establishing a spending plan. The worksheet below will show you how much money you have coming in and going out. Fill in the monthly dollar amounts for each item below. Then, subtract your total expenditures from your total income. This is the amount you can save without making any changes in your spending habits. A recommended savings rate is 10% of your take-home pay. If you find that your total is a negative number or is less than you would like to save, you need to find areas where you can cut spending. Begin by recording all your expenditures for one month (cash, check and credit) in a notebook so you know exactly where your money is going. Look for areas where you can cut back. Perhaps you can rent videos rather than going to the movies, cut down on your dry cleaning bill, use coupons at the grocery store, carpool to work or take your lunch rather than eating out. Once you have determined how much you can save each month, enter this amount on your worksheet as one of your permanent expenditures. Pay yourself first by setting aside your savings when you receive your paycheck, before you have a chance to spend the money on anything else. It helps to have savings automatically deducted from your paycheck or checking account. Don’t get discouraged if an emergency cuts into your savings. Just get back on track the following month. Monthly Budget Worksheet Income Expenditures Your Salary ________________ Rent or Mortgage ________________ Spouse's Salary ________________ Utilities (phone, cable, gas, electric) ________________ Bonuses ________________ Insurance (home/health/life/auto) ________________ Commissions ________________ Food ________________ Tips ________________ Clothing ________________ Interest Income ________________ Debt Obligations (alimony/child support/credit card balances) ________________ Rental Income ________________ Child Care Expenses ________________ Social Security Income ________________ Medical/Dental Expenses ________________ Pension Income ________________ Taxes (income/property) ________________ Alimony ________________ Transportation (car payments, gas, tolls) ________________ Other ________________ Personal (toiletries/allowances) ________________   ________________ Gifts (birthdays/holidays/charities) ________________   ________________ Recreation (movies/vacations) ________________   ________________ Other ________________   ________________   ________________ Total Income: ________________ Total Expenditures:  ________________   Subtract Total Expenditures from Total Income ________________________________________________ Budgeting Software, Budgeting Money Budget-Sheet.com Recommended Site Resources Credit Card Debt Consolidation - Free Debt Consolidation Quote Debt doesn't have to control your life. Click here to learn more. Debt Consolidation Home Loans, click here