Creating a budget is actually very simple. Here are some steps:

1. Gather all your records of expenditures (checkbook, credit card statement, etc).

2. Open a spreadsheet or graph and assign a category to each column.

3. Record each expense under its corresponding column.

4. Calculate and record a total for each column.

5. Add all the column totals.

6. Compare that number with your income.

7. Revise your expenses and prioritize them.

8. Eliminate those expenditures that are low on the priority list.

9. Don’t forget to budget 10 percent of your income for savings.

Living Within Your Budget

Having a budget and living within it are two different things. There are always things that we want (or need) and credit is so easy to get. This article will discuss ways to help you establish good budgeting habits...

How to Budget your Household Accounts

It is so easy to despair when you encounter your first financial crisis. You're not alone. Many people face a financial crisis some time in their lives. Whether the crisis is caused by personal or family illness, the loss of a job, or overspending, it can seem overwhelming. But often, it can be overcome... 

50 ways to trim your budget

You don't have to give up the things you love to save money. You just have to be willing to look hard. Start with your fixed expenses, then review your discretionary costs....

You CAN afford to be a Stay-at-Home Parent!

From the moment I learned I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. That feeling only strengthened when my beautiful son was born. I took one look at him and wondered how I could ever give up the opportunity to spend each and every day with him, watching him grow and learn, and exploring the world for the first time through his eyes. But there was a problem. We were a two-income family. How could we possibly afford to eliminate one of those incomes? Well, there are a lot of answers to that question and I’d like to share the ones I found with you.

Setting Up A Budget

Few things strike more fear into the hearts of people than setting up a budget. We all know we need one, a few of us actually have one, and fewer still manage to live within it. Why is it so intimidating? ...

A budget helps you to see where your money is going and helps you determine where you can cut back. It is also an important guide for what to do with your money when you get paid. If you are serious about your financial goals, a budget is an absolute necessity....

Financial flubs come in all sizes, but for most of us it's the little ones that cause the biggest cash drain. Don't let these budget busters squeeze the air out of your hard-earned income...

Want to have fun but don't have much cash? Deborah Taylor-Hough, author of Frugal Living for Dummies, has some tips for inexpensive family fun...

Without a budget, many of us just muddle through, trying to stay one step ahead of our bills. If the word "budget" makes you cringe, think of the process as (1) summarizing how you spend your income and (2) creating guidelines for your spending. No blame, no shame, no deprivation, and no guilt. Thinking of a budget as a financial diet is a sure way to set yourself up for failure. A budget is simply (1) a tool to increase your consciousness of how and where you spend your money, and (2) a guideline to help you spend your money on the things that are most important to you

Tips to Avoid Overspending on Credit Cards

Shopping or buying things is one of the guilty pleasures in life and with the presence of credit cards, spending seems to be more like a habit and way of life. Credit cards make one’s life easier but it could also make one’s life a living hell once you find yourself drowning with credit card debt...

Designing a Budget Around Your Take-Home Income

Have you ever found yourself wondering where all the money has gone and its not the end of the month? There are things we can do to help ourselves eliminate being in this situation. Listed below are the steps you may follow, along with a brief discussion of each:...