Are you trying to set up a personal budget, but cannot get one set that works for you. It does take discipline to follow a budget, but if it is set up correctly it is much easier to avoid unexpected expenses and be prepared for what might happen. Here are a few tips to help you set up a personal budget.
First, write down all your expenses. Make sure you go further than just bills or monthly expenses. There are also weekly, daily, bi monthly, quarterly, bi annually, and annual expenses. This list should include all of your necessities even oil changes, car repairs, doctor visits, and everything else that is necessary that you spend money on.
Second, take a full month and keep all your reciepts. Go through them and see exactly what you spent and what you spent it on. This will help give you a good idea of what you need to budget for. Some of us think we only spend $35 a week on groceries, when it is really closer to $50 or maybe that is the case with gas for your car.
Third, always include savings, christmas savings, emergency savings, and retirement in your budget. Even if these categories only end up with $5 in them it is important to have them. The emergency savings should come first because this covers car repairs and any other emergencies that are unexpected. Then, Christmas savings has to be budgetted and followed.
If you budget for spending $500 at Christmas, then you spend only $500 at Christmas. Next, comes the regular savings. This can be used for a new piece of furniture, a vacation, or something else you desire. Last, is retirement, but it should always have something in it. Even $10 a month is $120 a year, which is $1,200 every 10 years plus interest. It is something and something is better than nothing when it comes to how to set up a personal budget.