From the category archives:

Budgeting

Why Make A Budget?

Thumbnail image for Why Make A Budget? by CraigJanuary 7, 2010

“Hey, Craig.  What’s the most important financial decision you’ve made?”
I wish my answer could be more glamorous.  I wish I could tell you it was that stock I bought for .10 cents that is now worth $85.  I wish I could tell you it was my decision to buy a piece of property right before [...]

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Free Downloadable Household Budget Spreadsheet

by CraigJanuary 2, 2010

Budgeting is one of the important elements of a healthy financial plan.
This free downloadable worksheet is highly customizable, but will require a minimal knowledge of Excel.
This Excel Document is compatible with Excel 97-2003 & Excel 2007:
Download Instructions:

Click on the link above
Choose to open the document
The Excel file should appear automatically
The document will be [read only] [...]

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How To Make Your First Budget

by CraigJanuary 2, 2010

This blog talks a lot about budgeting.
Unfortunately, people don’t like to hear the word budget.
A popular myth is that you can get financially fit without making a budget.  They say don’t work hard.  Don’t track your spending.  But, you must.
If I had to identify one financial tool or resource that made the biggest financial difference [...]

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How To Budget For Unexpected Income

by CraigDecember 20, 2009

Sometimes you should spend money before you earn it.  The only good way to spend money before you earn it is to spend it on PAPER.  Spending it on paper first is especially important for UNRI (Unexpected Non-Reoccurring Income)
Sources of Unexpected Income

Gifts – Christmas, birthday, or any other occasions where someone gives you money
One [...]

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2010 Financial Goals

Thumbnail image for 2010 Financial Goals by CraigDecember 18, 2009

Just like the rest of you, I have certain goals and adjustments that I make every year.
One of the frustrating things about financial management is that we often have so many choices and we rarely know what is right.  Sometimes we just want a point of reference.
Blogs are by design an extremely open and intimate [...]

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28 Tips for Organizing Your Finances

by CraigOctober 13, 2009

One of the six habits of the financially fit is to organize your finances.  Unfortunately, many people are unwilling to organize their finances because there is simply too much to do.  I am reminded of a proverb that says, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”  Reduce financial organization to individual [...]

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Recommended Budget Percentages by Category

by CraigSeptember 28, 2009

Determining the right category and budget percentages is not a difficult task.  In my article on the six habits of the financially fit I mentioned budgeting as one of the habits.  One of the greatest budgeting fears is that you might get it wrong.  You fear that your allocation for groceries won’t actually allow you to make [...]

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Five Ways to Save Time on Your Budget

by CraigAugust 27, 2009

Budgeting can be a difficult burden.  When we find it hard to budget, our solution is often to discontinue budgeting.  Instead, however, I suggest we make attempts to find a simpler budget instead of vowing never to budget again.  I know about budget burnout because over the last several months my family has been in [...]

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Why Do People Keep Making Bad Money Choices?

by CraigJuly 14, 2009

The rich keep getting richer and the opposite is true as well.  At times it is easy to be frustrated watching those who struggle with finances continue to make poor financial decisions time after time, after time …  I wonder to myself, why do those who are poor money managers keep making bad money [...]

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Ten Budget Busters

by CraigJuly 8, 2009

The book A Millionaire’s Common Sense Approach to Wealth by Dexter Yager lists ten reasons why people do not make their budget.  Here is the list as presented by Yager (with my short summary for each):                                                                   Photo by striatic

A Lack of Training – some people simply don’t know how to budget
Self-centeredness – not willing to [...]

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