Are you ready to get started on a family budget? Are you overwhelmed? It can seem complicated at first - how do you categorize everything? What about expenses that fluctuate or aren't monthly? The best thing to do is take a step back and look at some practical steps toward formulating your family budget. Here are some tips. Estimates and Actuals, not Ideals Remember that your budget is a tool, not a dream machine.Goals are important, but a family budget should first focus on the numbers you're dealing with. That's the basic first step. Once you have a grasp on that, you can begin a bit more idealizing, such as saving for vacations, desired items, etc. Start with Your Net Keep Reading
7 Grocery Shopping Tips to Stay on Budget
We have all done it a million times! We go to the grocery store with a set budget, but by the time we check out, our budget is out the window. You think you can add one more thing to your cart, or you suddenly get a craving for something on the shelf, and before you know it your spending way more than your budget allowed. Use these grocery shopping tips to stay on budget: Eat Before you Shop: Did you know going to the store hungry can make you spend up to 50% more than you actually need to. When you shop while you’re hungry, your cravings tell you that you need everything on the shelf. Never go to the store hungry if you want to get out alive! Always Have a List: If you are going to Keep Reading
How to Know When You Need a Family Budget
Do you really need a budget? Isn't that just a boring list of numbers that means you never get to spend money on what you want? A budget is really just a way to take control of your finances. It does not necessarily mean you can't ever spend your money on what you want; it just means you spend your money smarter. In fact, if you are always denying yourself and never buying anything you want for fear you can't afford it, a budget could be liberating. Dealing with real numbers tends to be a lot less stressful than dealing with vague impressions of your income and expenses. So how do you know if you need a family budget? Here are some tips to help you know if you need to form a Keep Reading
Top Tips for Sticking with Your Budget
So you have a family budget. There's only one problem - you haven't stuck with it! Maybe your budget is nicely outlined and detailed, but sits unused on your computer or in your desk drawer. Formulating a budget is a challenge, but once you have it done, it doesn't do any good unless you stick with it. Of course, sometimes you do need to compromise, and your budget does need to be somewhat flexible. But you can periodically tweak and adjust your budget and still stick to it. Here are some creative and even fun tips for sticking with your budget. Have a Look-See Maybe your budget didn't work out because it didn't fit your needs. Take a fresh look at your budget and ask some of the Keep Reading
Do You Really Need an Emergency Fund?
Some may question the necessity of an emergency fund. After all, is it really necessary? How do you go about it? Does it need to be a huge amount? Here are some ideas and suggestions that should help answer these questions. Is an Emergency Fund Necessary? Generally speaking, yes, an emergency fund is necessary. What form it takes can vary, but it is a good idea to have an emergency fund. Such a fund can help you avoid high-interest debt, and it helps reduce stress. After all, life is full of changes - many of them sudden and not good - and having that "cushion" can help you feel ready and calm. How Do You Go about Creating an Emergency Fund? First, determine your expenses. Look Keep Reading
The Family Budget – Tips to Getting Everyone On Board
You've probably heard that getting everyone involved is important to the success of your family budget. But you may be wondering if that's really necessary, or how to even do it. Here are some ideas and tips for getting everyone on board with your family budget. Be Open Sometimes parents try to hide their financial situation from their kids and/or each other. While this may seem like "sparing" the ones you love, in actuality it can cause undue stress on the one family member who does know how bad things are, or how things work financially. It's true that you don't want to overburden your kids with responsibilities that aren't theirs, but including them in a frank discussion of your Keep Reading
Creative Budgeting – Customize Your Budget to Fit Your Family
Your family budget does not necessarily have to fit a template - even if you do use a template, you can customize it. A budget that really fits your style and family dynamic tends to be a lot easier to stick with, and can even be fun! Here are some tips for making a creative, customized family budget. It's Your Budget Get your whole family to participate in creating the budget to make it really yours. Create common goals and brainstorm for fun and creative budgeting ideas. Cookouts The great American cookout is a great way to have an "outing" while saving money. If you grill seasonal garden vegetables, it's an even bigger money saver. Get creative - you can grill inexpensive, Keep Reading
