Four Ways to Help You Manage Your Budget
Tuesday, October 29, 2013, 1:00 AM | Leave Comment
Budgeting is not easy. It takes careful planning and discipline. Also, a budget should not be static. It should change as your needs and circumstances change.
The following tips can help you manage your budget:
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Keep it in Writing
Maintaining a budget in your head is almost impossible. Most people have too many expenses to be able to keep them straight mentally. Write down every purchase when you make it. Keep a written record of your bills and when they are due. Keep a written record of budget categories and how much you spend each month in each category. Also, keep a record of when you are due for medical appointments and when your car is due for maintenance. These items are critical, but easy to overlook when making a budget.
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Use a Spreadsheet
Computerized spreadsheet programs can be very helpful if used properly. You can customize a spreadsheet to your budget. This also makes it easy to keep all of your income and expenses recorded in one place. You can also make adjustments more with this method than by just using pencil and paper. If you have a personal computer, you probably have such a program installed and ready to use.
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Use Personal Finance Software
Many companies write software programs to help people manage their finances. This can be useful for people who aren’t computer-savvy and are intimidated by spreadsheet programs. You can often link your bank accounts, credit card accounts and other accounts to this software. This way, you can have your entire financial situation available to view quickly. Such software can be purchased online or in most office supply or electronics stores.
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Use Online Tools
If you don’t want to invest in software or use a spreadsheet program, you’re still in luck. Many online programs exist to help people manage their budgets. As with personal finance software, you can often link your different accounts to these tools. This way, you don’t have to do as much math. Many of these programs are also free.
Budgeting is not very enjoyable, but needs to be done. Luckily, many tools are available today that make doing so easier. With all of the available tools today, there’s no excuse for not maintaining a budget. One expense that is increasing for many people these days is bank fees. To help reduce them, you can order basic personal checks at a discount from Checks Superstore.
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