A personal budget or household budget is essentially a finance plan that helps to manage and track income and expenses over a period. This way an individual is able to achieve better control over spending, savings, and investments. A typical budget category would include housing, utilities, groceries, and transportation, etc.
Starting a budget is a quite simple process, though. All that you need to write a budget is a notebook, a pen, and a simple calculator.
Then make a note of everything–your income and the money you spend in a month, every single rupee.
Also, it is important to keep a record of all of the receipts. This way, ascertaining the monthly bills wouldn’t be a problem.
Moreover, you know what your loans and monthly loan instalments are. It is the money that seems to slip away from you with nothing to substantiate. This is the area that you need to keep track of.
Minor expenditures can be combined into a miscellaneous spending column. By now, you would probably already be surprised at the amount of money that’s spent on trivial, unnecessary items.
First, allocate the available funds to cover the necessary bills. As your bills are paid, keep track of them on a budget sheet.
Also, it is important to review your budget at least once a month to keep track of changes in your income and expenses.
Making a personal budget takes discipline, but it is well worth it. The money that you’ve saved can go toward paying the principal on debts, or into savings or investment accounts.
It will be difficult at first no doubt but then most behavioural changes are, isn’t it? This way you are moving toward changing the mindset and attitude toward money, and that takes time.
However, the longer you do it, the easier it becomes over a period. It won’t be too long before planning a personal budget has become a habit. Moreover, with your spending under control, you’ll be well on your way to meeting your long-term financial goals in a better manner. Moreover, it also helps to reduce financial stress.
Rajiv is an independent editorial consultant for the last decade. Prior to this, he worked as a full-time journalist associated with various prominent print media houses. In his spare time, he loves to paint on canvas.
