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Shockingly simple tips to help you budget better

Posted July 23, 2018 by AGillam to Finance 0 0
This post was written by a EasyFinance.com Community member. The views expressed below may not reflect the views of EasyFinance.com.

You can start budgeting better today with these simple tips everyone can use.

Everyone can get better at budgeting. Whether it comes naturally to you or not, there is always room for improvement in the way that you manage your money. Learning how to budget better has many benefits too. From reaching your financial goals to avoiding running out of money at the end of the month, with good budgeting life becomes more comfortable. So, how could you budget better?

Budget more regularly

If your budgeting is sporadic or something that you do once in a blue moon then you could do much more with it by budgeting regularly. Monthly budgeting is the most common but if you’re really keen to manage your money efficiently you could also do this weekly. The more often you sit down with your figures, the more familiar they will become and the more insights you’ll have into your income and spending.

Don’t forget the little things

Budgeting isn’t just for the big items of income and expenditure. Many people feel like they are budgeting well but still don’t understand why the numbers don’t balance – the difference is often the “little things.” These are essentially the small spends that we often dismiss as too inconsequential to consider incorporating into the budget. However, they all add up – often to quite a significant hole in your monthly figures – so don’t ignore them.

Use tech to budget

Some people use spreadsheets, other people opt for software like QuickBooks and some people use AI apps. Whatever your choice of technology, there are many benefits to be gained from using it to optimise your budgeting. You’re much less likely to make mistakes if you’re using tech to budget and much more likely to be successful when it comes to taking better control of your cash.

Integrate your budget with your savings goals

Your budget is effectively the mechanism that will enable your savings goals. Tying the two together will also be much more motivational for you when it comes to sticking to the budget that you’ve created so that you can go on and reach those goals. It’s a good idea to start with one simple, single savings goal – that could be paying off debt or saving to buy a new car – and tailor your budgeting decisions towards making that happen. If you still struggle then consider asking parents to help out with a guarantor loan but remember it is still your debt to pay off but this might just give you some breathing room.

Be honest about your weak spots

The more we take an ostrich approach to budgeting (i.e. ignoring the painful realities) the less successful we are likely to be. If you’re spending just a little too much each month on shoes you never wear, or wasting your gym membership because you just never go, then now is the time to start being honest with yourself. By taking a long hard look at unnecessary spending you can avoid over-spending a potentially developing a poor credit score. That is definitely best avoided because you will find loans for people with bad credit are hard to come by and expensive. Acknowledging your weaknesses is the first step towards budgeting success.

Be realistic and stick to what you start

If you set unrealistic budgeting goals, you just won’t reach them – and you’ll probably be so disillusioned that all budgeting goes out of the window for the foreseeable future. Realistic budget objectives move you slowly towards bigger goals and make it much easier to stick to what you start.

 

About AGillam: Amanda Gillam has been a personal finance writer for Solution Loans for many years. She helps people keep up to date with the fast-paced developments in the world of personal finance and offers advice to help everyone manage their money better.

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