Most people never seem to have enough money. Enough money is never in their bank account. Enough money is never in their savings account. (Hopefully, they have a savings account.) Enough money is never in their retirement account. (It is better to start earlier than later.) There is never enough money to cover all their living expenses. So what are people to do?
Create a budget. No really! If you want to know where your money goes, you use a budget. I know I know you HATE budgets. To you want to CONTROL your money? A budget gives you the CONTROL over your money. This is a simple budget for you.
| Bill | Amount | Due Date |
| Rent/Mortgage | $ | |
| Electric | $ | |
| Gas | $ | |
| Water | $ | |
| Groceries (ONLY) | $ | |
| Cellphone/Landline | $ | |
| HOA Fees | $ | |
| Car Note | $ | |
| Fuel | $ | |
| Insurance | $ | |
| Childcare | $ | |
| Student Loans | $ | |
| Cable/Internet | $ | |
| Credit Card 1 | $ | |
| Credit Card 2 | $ | |
| Credit Card 3 | $ | |
| Other Loan 1 | $ | |
| Other Loan 2 | $ | |
| Total | $ | |
| Pay Check Week Ending | $ | |
| Pay Check Week Ending | $ | |
| Amount Remaining | $ | |
| Savings (If Balance is not Negative.) | $ |
This is a simple budget will aid you in seeing where you need to streamline your expenses. If you use your debit card or credit card for purchase, you can run a report in your account to determine how much you spent for fuel and groceries. You can use your most recent utility, credit card and landline bills.
For some you just don’t make enough money. A part time job or a new job will help you cover your expenses and debts. As you can see dining out, entertainment, vacation and any other costs are not included. Remember this is a FINANCIAL FAST. Those items are not necessities to live. Try the budget out to make the most of the money you have.
notes from an engineering nomad 