When you hear the phrase “budget planning”, immediately appears a dull accountant in a gray suit, day and night scraping tsiferki. Identify yourself, sunny and blooming, with this image does not want.
But sometimes the idea of ordering your finances creeps into your solar brain. This, as a rule, occurs at the end of the month or after a shopping trip, when you are in vain trying to understand where the money went missing.
“Money is a good servant, but a bad master,” said Francis Bacon. If you are dependent on your wallet, if you do not manage the iron ruble, and he is you – it’s time to act. And believe me: planning the budget does not hurt at all.
There are people who know how much (up to a penny! ) They spent on a certain day, what amount of peacefully rests in the purse, and what awaits them at home. If you are from this rare breed, the article is not for you.
Most not only do not think about the expediency of their spending, but even do not want to know what amounts remain in stores and restaurants. Apparently not to be horrified. I suggest you still take a chance and face the truth. And if you do not like to keep the budget, you will at any time return to spontaneous and uncontrolled purchases.
Creating your budget involves three stages:
1. Stirlitz
Have to monitor yourself and fix everything. The only way you can find out what and how much you spend money on. Anyone who has tried to lose weight, knows that buying a subscription to fitness, losing weight is much easier and faster. In this case, the computer program can play the role of the subscription. Personally, I experimented with “Home Accounting” – neat and convenient: you can write income and expenses for articles, and then on the charts and diagrams with horror to discover where the money disappears. Although, to be honest, a simple Excel document is suitable.
To admit, the ritual of fixing expenses is not the most pleasant. Firstly, in your handbag there will be packs of checks, tk. remember one by one’s own waste. Secondly, it’s just boring. But believe me, the end justifies the means. By and large, if you know your sore spot, you can fix only individual items of expenditure. For example, you know that you spend more than you need for clothes and entertainment. In this case, you can write down only these items of expenditure. But this approach has a big disadvantage – you can miss out on your other “sore spots” that you did not even suspect. Therefore, ideally, to understand the overall picture, it is better to take into account both the eaten bun and the bought book. On the third or fourth day you start to get used to it and take it easy.
Stage 2. Talk about this?
You will speak with the partner-embezzler or with yourself. Obtained data must be processed, identify the main items of expenditure and discover what prevents you from going abroad on vacation. This is especially important if your expenses exceed revenues, and you often intercept some amount from friends. Given your spending, highlight the main items of expenditure.
Most often they are:
• Food and household goods – this does not include going to a coffee shop with a girlfriend. This will go to the article “Entertainment”.
• Clothes – decorations and other pleasant accessories will also be placed here.
• Health is not only a trip to the doctor, but also sports.
• Education – pay for a kindergarten or school, advanced training courses, trainings to improve your professional level.
• Transportation – car, taxi, public transport.
• Communication – Internet, mobile phone.
• Rent – utility bills, rent.
• Entertainment – movies, books, restaurants, gifts to friends, alcohol.
• Home – buying furniture, utensils and other household trivia.
• Repair and prevention – clothing, equipment and furniture breaks suddenly and requires urgent investment. To breakdown does not arise, do preventive work.
• Personal needs – no one is going to put handcuffs on you and make you account for every chocolate or lipstick. Give yourself a certain amount that you can spend at your own discretion.
If you pay out a loan on a monthly basis, do not forget to include the bank in the articles of your expenses. For clarity, you can also record your earnings, especially if they are unstable. Do not count on money that you have not received, such as premiums, bonuses, parcels from rich relatives, etc. Also it is not recommended, having received them, on joys to go for purchases. Money that is not part of your monthly income, it is better to postpone it.
Stage 3. The right way.
Take a strong-willed decision – half the battle, most importantly – do not break and not get off the chosen path. To enhance motivation, identify large financial goals – for example, a car or a trip abroad. The goal is set, but to achieve it, you need to reduce your costs. Napoleon Hill, the author of bestsellers to achieve wealth, recommends saving 10% of his income. If you do not have such an opportunity, stop at 5%. It is worth noting that the deferred 10% should become a kind of stabilization fund, which should be treated only for a very good reason. In this case, the amount collected will help you out in a difficult moment or become a significant part of a large purchase.
At this stage, you will be able to assess the realism of the goals. Take care of your nerves – do not cut costs dramatically, do it gradually. By the way, reduce the cost of food will help make up the menu and shopping list for a week. This not only saves money, but also time – small forays for missing products will remain in the past. Serious competition between sellers of equipment allows you to buy the necessary things much cheaper. A sale of clothes and shoes will allow you to replenish your wardrobe with minimal investment. You can even make a “clothing menu” with a list of purchases – decompose all things and see what is combined with, and what is missing until complete happiness.
It is possible that you will soon be tired of a bundle of checks and a column of numbers. Nothing wrong. Relax for a couple of months and come back – in the end the car and the trip to the sea can wait …
