Determine your current income and spending:
- Track your income and spending by category for the next 30 days using this budget tracking by category form
- Also review the past 30 days from your operating accounts (checking, savings, credit cards, etc.)
- As you add expenses to the form, it will automatically add up the category totals
Create your budget:
- Download the Creating Your Budget form.
- In the Actual from Register column, enter your category totals (from the Tracking by Category form).
Live the Budget:
- Download the Yearly Budget Tool.
- Use this tool moving forward.
Final Thoughts
You track expenses because you need to see where your money goes to create a realistic budget for your life. Once you’ve tracked 30 days of spending, it will reveal where you overspend and items you might have forgotten (gifts, haircuts, car maintenance). Most budgets fall apart because the plan didn’t include all the expenses (so Christmas and car repairs dismantle the plan).
After creating your budget and comparing your spending to the guideline, you can choose where the money will go next month. This is when the Yearly Budget Tool tracks your monthly spending and tells you what you have left over in each category while you spend. You may also enjoy using the Envelope System to track categories. Blessings on your budgeting journey!
Blessings on your budgeting journey!