Do you have a household budget?

Just a note book and pen.

The key is to writing down every single detail...of the money you spend.

So the day you get paid, write down ALL outgoing expenses.
Rent - food - petrol - gas - electricity - phone - mobile - all other bills.

Even what you would spend for lunch at your work, to how many cups of coffee you may buy.That bar of chocolate? write that down.
Keep a record each time you pay for something.Then after one week, add it all up.(you need to be sitting down when you do it).

Like most people, you may find you spend more than what you have.

How then do you pay for it, well a lot of us take from another area, till we get paid...and on and on go's this most, viscous cycle.
What you do then, is cut out some things....so that you can in part stop the cycle.
Even being able to stop part of it, means you are 'winning'! believe me.

Give up drinking take away coffee totally.Or buying a magazine, or even that odd packet of gum..or newspaper.
Re-write your shopping list, and take out chocolate, fizzy drinks, cake,for just 3 weeks.

You will see just 'how much they all cost''. It's unpleasant, but can and should be done.
People who have to have a budget,,,,do so because there is just not enough money, to go around.In the end, you will find ways to save your money.
It also can become a great deal of fun....but! it is up to you at the end.

by jonaja

I did this about a year ago - completely cut out all bought coffees and sweet treats. At the same time I was on a health kick and started baking low-sugar and sugar free treats. Now my family is healthier for it too, it costs us less and there is more money to go round for more treats! It's a win-win!

No, but I'm thinking this might be a good idea.

by Vee

Only a general record. Often I find that I forgot to write down some of my spendings.

by annep

I live with my parents, so they keep tabs on how spending goes in and out. I keep a close eye on my own savings, and make sure that I never go overboard, but I don't have a budget that I stick to.

by Bryony Harrison

Yes I have a rough household budget, but it can be difficult to stick to at times. Since I work for myself my income is not the same each week. I use MYOB software to manage my finances and also Xcel spreadsheet at times.

by Ivana Katz

Yes. I have created my own personal excel spreadsheet that I have tweaked over the years. I went from working full time in the corporate world to being able to leave it completely to work for myself part time and care for my family just with budgeting.

by Sarah Bell

I do, yet always keep a bigger buffer for Christmas.

by Justine Crowley

I don't really keep a budget, however I do enter everything I spend on to MYOB, though cannot quite figure out why -perhaps as I am used to it when I had a business for many years.

by Finy

Absolutely! It's nicknamed "the brains" (can't remember origin) but every purchase is worked out on it.
Want to get on top of your bills? For one year, write down your bills e.g. electricity, car rego, gas, water, land rates etc. in a book under the monthly headings for each group. At the end of the year, total them all and divide by 52 (if you're paid weekly) or 26 (for fortnightly pays). Each year remember to add 10% for inflation before the division. You will now know how much to put away each pay (no more nasty surprises).

by wotsy

Ahem. This darling lemon beagle and I probably have about the same abilities with money and budget balancing. Oh, wait, he's obviously better.

by Rice

No, I don't need to keep a budget. I wouldn't know how to use computer software anyway. I make many lists of lots of other things, but not money things.

by Miro