#Simple budget planning how to#
#Simple budget planning pro#
#Simple budget planning plus#

It also doesn’t mean you blow all your money. Leave a little buffer in there of about $100–300. This is key: A zero-based budget doesn’t mean you let your bank account reach zero. Subtract all your expenses from your income. Make new budget categories for your new budget lines. Of course, if you spend money eating out, you can just add a line called Restaurants under your Food category-as long as you remember groceries are a necessity, but drive-thrus or fancy three-course meals out are not.īudget Step 3: Subtract Expenses From Income This plan breaks the most important money goals into easy-to-understand, actionable steps! If you don’t know what goal to focus on right now, check out the 7 Baby Steps. If you’re working to save money, get out of debt, or some other money goal, you’ll get there way quicker if you cut back on the nonessential spending. Then use your online bank account or those bank statements to estimate what you plan to spend for everything. Then work in a miscellaneous line and any nonessentials like personal spending, fun money and entertainment. Next, list all other monthly expenses. Start with the essentials: We’re talking about insurance, debt, childcare, etc. You’ll learn better what you actually need here in the months ahead. By the way, that grocery budget line is super hard to guess at first, so just start with a really good estimate based on your past spending. Other expenses change up, like groceries or gasoline. Some of these are called fixed expenses-aka the expenses that stay the same every month, like your rent or mortgage. Here’s what it might look like for you (but with your numbers, of course!): Or the category is like a playlist, and the lines are like the songs. Think of a budget category as a folder, and the lines as the files inside it. Make a budget category for each of these and create budget lines underneath for your specific expenses. You've got to pay yourself first before you pay everyone else!Ĭover your Four Walls. That’s food, utilities, shelter and transportation. We believe in 10% of your income here and always having a spirit of generosity! Next, budget for your savings goals, like an emergency fund (depending on your Baby Step, which we'll talk about more in a minute).

#Simple budget planning pro#

Pro Tip: When you’re making a budget, before you put in all the things you’ll pay for this month, set aside money for giving. It’s time to list your expenses! (Yep, this is when that bank account or statement gets super helpful.) Now that you’ve planned for the money coming in, you can plan for the money going out. You can adjust later in the month if you make more and add that extra money to your money goal or another budget line. If you’ve got an irregular income, take a look at what you’ve made the last few months and list the lowest amount as this month’s planned income budget line. Note: You’re working with net income here, meaning what you bring in after taxes or anything else that’s taken out of your paycheck.

#Simple budget planning plus#

You work weekends as a barista or bagpiper for hire? That’s income and it goes in your budget.Ĭreate separate income budget lines for every paycheck you (and your spouse) make, plus anything extra coming in. Income is any money you plan to get during that month-that means your normal paychecks and any extra money coming your way through a side hustle, garage sale, freelance work or anything like that. That will give you the info you need as you start filling out numbers on your budget.

Pro Tip: Before you dive into the steps, open up your online bank account or grab your bank statements. Just saying.) Either way, it’s totally okay to start by writing out everything on a sheet of paper.

(We know a great tool called EveryDollar. No matter how you feel about budgeting right now, no matter what money goals you have, and no matter your income-you can make (and keep!) a budget in just five steps.įirst, decide if you’re making a budget on paper, with a spreadsheet or in an app.

#Simple budget planning how to#

Keep reading to see how to make it happen so you can make a budget that works for you. When you learn how to make a budget-and do it every month-you’re giving your money purpose. It’s a plan for what’s coming in and what’s going out. It’s not a restriction on spending-it’s a plan for what you’ll do with your money. Real quick though, let’s define the word budget. Here’s how to make a budget in five steps.īudget Step 3: Subtract Expenses from Incomeīudget Step 5: Make a New Budget Before the Month Begins So, here we go-bite by bite, step by step. (You go one bite at a time.) And no one leaps into budgeting like a pro. Because no one eats an elephant by swallowing it whole. Making a budget might seem overwhelming at first, but hear this: You can do it.