Setting up a budget is a straightforward process. It helps to have a list of the bills that you must pay each month as well as your expected income. If you have not budgeted before, you can start by looking at your past three month’s expenses. Using your bank statements to break these into categories. If you have budgeting software, you can upload your statements and use the software to start to sort them.
Begin by listing your income for the month. This should include any paychecks you receive, as well as income from other sources like child support or investments. If you have a business, you should include the amount that you pay yourself out of the business each month.
List your expenses starting with the most important to the least important. Listing the expenses in order makes it easier to make cuts in your budget if needed. The most important should be things that cover your necessities. You will need to cover your housing, food, utilities (not including cable television), transportation costs, debt payments, and savings goals first. Then you will list luxury items which can include clothing, entertainment, eating out and gym memberships.
Once you have a list of your expenses and your income, you will need to compare the two numbers. Your expenses should less than or equal to your income. If you have additional money after you plan your budget, you can add it to the categories for your financial goals like getting out of debt or building an emergency fund. If you have more expenses than income, you will need to find ways to cut back on your expenses. Start by cutting money from your categories in the luxury section of your budget. You can also work on ways to increase the amount you earn.
