Zero-based budgeting is great for Type A planners. The most important things - housing, food, minimum debt payments - get taken care of first, and you can disburse the remaining money for your goals and fun in their order of importance to you. Then, assign every dollar in your paycheck a “job” on the list until you run out. To make a zero-based budget, start by prioritizing your expenses from essential to nonessential. If you’ve got an ambitious goal, we recommend trying a zero-based budget first. But ultimately you have to choose the one that works for you.
There are so many budgeting methods out there, and every guru says theirs is the best.
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Knowing what you want to do with your money will guide you as you figure out how to budget, and it will greatly increase the likelihood that you’ll stick to it. You might then want to pay off debt, save for a down payment on a home, or increase your savings.ĭecide where you want to be financially next year and the year after. Whatever your goals are, know that any sound financial foundation starts with an emergency fund. Think about what you want in the next five to 10 years, and figure out what financial situation you need to get there. Without a goal, a budget is just a spreadsheet that tells you to have less fun. Set Your Goals Before You Make Your Budget Whether you’re trying to pay off credit card debt or just boost your savings, here are some budgeting tips that will help you make (and stick to) your budget. The longer you stick with it, the better you get.Īnd with a few simple budgeting tips, you can be well on your way before you know it. If you’re new to budgeting, don’t be discouraged by a few - or many - wrong turns and closed roads along the way. A monthly budget is like Google Maps for your finances: You follow it because you don’t know where you’re going without it.