Many people spend more than they can afford every month, which often leads to living paycheck to paycheck. It’s not uncommon to find yourself in this situation, but you can turn it around by learning how to budget and manage your money wisely (Budgeting and Money Management).
These tips on budgeting and money management will help you build your savings account, prepare for unexpected expenses, and avoid unnecessary spending, so you can stop living paycheck to paycheck and save more of your income each month.
If you’re committed to these steps, you can start saving and spending more wisely in as little as one month!
Making a Budget
Start by adding up your income for the month. Then, list out all of your fixed expenses, like rent or mortgage payments, car payments, student loan payments, etc. Next, list out your variable expenses, like groceries, gas, entertainment, etc.
Finally, subtract your total expenses from your total income to see how much money you have left over each month.
Now that you know your overall financial situation, decide on a specific dollar amount for all of your variable expenses. These are more flexible because you have control over them (you can always skip a movie or go to an earlier showing), but they can also add up quickly if you’re not careful.
Now, list out how much money you want to allocate for all of your fixed expenses.
This is where most people run into trouble—sometimes it’s hard to tell whether an expense is fixed or variable, and estimating income can be tricky as well.
Once again, make sure that your total expenses are less than your total income so that you’re setting aside enough money each month.
Reducing Expenses
One of the best ways to save money is to reduce your expenses. Start by evaluating your spending habits and looking for ways to cut back.
Perhaps you can cook at home more often, pack your lunch instead of buying it, or trade in your car for a more fuel-efficient model.
There are many ways to save money, so take a close look at your budget and find areas where you can cut back. If you make sacrifices now, you’ll be able to spend guilt-free later on things that matter.
Saving Advice
1. Automate your savings.
Have a fixed amount automatically transferred from your checking account to your savings account each month. This way, you’ll never even see the money and won’t be tempted to spend it.
2. Make a budget and stick to it.
Track your spending for a month or two so you know where your money is going. Then, create a budget that allocates funds for fixed expenses, like rent and utilities, as well as variable expenses, like food and entertainment.
3. Cut unnecessary costs.
Take a close look at your spending habits and see where you can cut back, whether it’s by cooking at home more often or downgrading your cable package.
4. Shop around for better deals.
Setting Goals
Before you can start budgeting and managing your money, you need to set some financial goals. Do you want to save up for a down payment on a house? Or are you trying to pay off debt? Maybe you want to start saving for retirement.
Whatever your goal is, write it down and make sure it’s specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
Here are some examples of SMART goals:
I will save $500 this year.
I will have paid off my credit card balance by the end of March. I will have saved $1000 by the end of December.
I will be at least 10% closer to reaching my savings goal by the end of January.
By the end of July, I will have saved $3000 towards my new car.
The key is to set realistic and challenging goals that you’re willing to work towards so that you’ll stay motivated throughout the process!
Living Within Your Means
One of the most important aspects of budgeting is learning to live within your means. This means spending less than you earn and saving the rest.
One way to do this is to figure out what your regular expenses are and track them over time. This could include putting all of your expenses into a budget or tracking app, or simply writing out your spending for a month to get an idea of where your money goes.
Once you know where your money is going, you can start making changes to save.
Some simple ways to save more include setting up an automatic transfer from your checking account to savings each week, cutting back on eating out and entertainment costs, buying clothes at consignment stores or secondhand shops instead of full-price stores, and shopping around for lower interest rates on loans.
Use Online Tools to Track Your Spending
No one likes being in debt, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. If you find yourself in a hole, don’t despair!
There are ways to get out of debt. Here are a few tips for getting back on track.
- Keep your financial goals in mind by creating monthly budgets and having a plan for spending money.
- Use online tools like Mint or Quicken to track your spending so that you know where your money is going each month.
- Make an emergency fund that includes at least six months’ worth of living expenses so that if an emergency comes up, you’re not scrambling for cash or going into more debt just to cover it.
- Develop an emergency plan for any unexpected emergencies, such as medical bills or car repairs, by setting aside funds each month that can be used when necessary without affecting other areas of your budget or making things worse financially than they already are.
Getting out of Debt
The first step to good budgeting and money management is getting out of debt. This can be done by creating a budget and sticking to it, as well as by finding ways to bring in extra income.
Once you are out of debt, you can start saving money.
A good way to do this is to create a savings plan. Begin by setting aside a certain amount of money each month that you will put into savings.
Then, make sure to only spend what is left after you have saved. This will help you build up your savings so that you can eventually reach your financial goals.
Saving long-term
When it comes to saving money, you have to think long-term. Yes, it’s essential to have an emergency fund for unexpected expenses, but you also need to be thinking about your future.
Retirement may seem like a long way off, but the sooner you start saving for it, the better.
The same goes for other long-term goals, like buying a house or sending your kids to college. The earlier you start saving, the more time your money has to grow. And the more money you have saved, the less financial stress you’ll feel down the road.
So how do you know how much to save? Well, some experts recommend setting aside 10% of what you earn before taxes each month.
But if that seems like too much right now, start with 3%. Just don’t forget to check in with yourself periodically and make adjustments as needed.
