It can be difficult to manage the money for your entire household, especially if you have children. Consider these money-savvy tips for creating a household budget — and sticking to it!
- Know your net income. This is the hardest part: tallying your total household income and really taking control of how much you have to spend. Remember to deduct things like taxes, social security, and your 401(k).
- Set some goals. First, consider short-term goals such as paying off your credit cards each month and budgeting for groceries. Once those are taken care of, factor in long-term goals, like planning for a vacation or putting money aside for your child’s education.
- Consider your daily spending. Record everything that you spend money on for a few days in order to see where you can cut back (and where you can afford to splurge).
- Make a plan. Divide your income into fixed expenses (like your rent or car payment) and variable expenses, which change from month to month. Subtract your fixed expenses from your total net income, put 10 percent of the amount left over into your savings, then feel free to spend the rest on your variable expenses.
- Check back frequently. Be sure to continually check to see if your budget is working for your family.
Creating a Budget [Bank of America]
Secrets to creating a budget [Bankrate]
10 steps to making a financial budget [CNN Money]
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