Finances are a fact of life. And the best way to go about working with them is to use good budgeting practices. But we can all use a little help in that regard, can’t we? Present company (as in me) NOT excepted… So here are some helpful articles about all things budgeting. Let’s get motivated and do this thing!! :-)
The Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting — Start here. This is a very readable primer from The Budget Mama for those who need to start from scratch. Includes a free printable worksheet.
The Half-Payment Method — I recently switched our budget over to this method, also on The Budget Mama. I think less money will get lost through the cracks this way.
How to Budget (For People who Hate Budgeting) — I actually like to budget; for some reason I enjoy pushing numbers around on paper. Go figure. (Ha! See what I did there?) :-) But this article at Premeditated Leftovers gives great tips on simplifying the process for those who don’t want to have to mess with it too much.
How to Budget When Paychecks Differ — This is a common scenario, and in fact the hubby and I have this situation, too. This method at First Home Love Life sounds doable, although it is dependent on starting with a pad of money. I am working towards living on last month’s income, myself, so this method may work for us, too.
The Biggest Mistake People Make When Budgeting — Wow, I love this article at Northern Cheapskate. Because what she describes is something I have been guilty of, too. AND she mentions my favorite software for personal finances — YNAB. So this one’s a win-win!
How to Use Dave Ramsey’s Envelope System to Budget — Just in case you didn’t understand the references to this system in my own post on How to Make and Use Cash Envelopes for Budgeting, here is a step-by-step explanation on Christian Personal Finances.
The 7 Bank Accounts Every Family Should Have — I am finding this whole idea very intriguing. Not just one or two bank accounts, but SEVEN! (Say that in Julie Andrews’ voice as she reacts to the Reverend Mother telling her how many children Captain Von Trapp has.) I guess that way you are less likely to rob from one budget allocation to pay another… read it for yourself at Fun Cheap or Free.
Create a Successful Monthly Budget that Works — Yea, I’d rather it worked, wouldn’t you? What’s Up Fagans takes us through the process from figuring out expenses to sticking to what you’ve decided, with a neato downloadable spreadsheet.
Free: Money Management Essentials — There are A LOT of free printables for budgeting out there. I think these at Pinch a Little Save a Lot are some of the cutest. And her site is rife with many more printables, so it’s a wonderful resource!
30 Days Without Spending Money — I’ve been a fan of Don’t Waste the Crumbs for quite some time, and this post is one of her best. What better way to stick to a budget than to not spend money??
Budgeting Every Penny — Six Figures Under tells us how they work with their allocated amounts to make sure they have $0 in each one at the end of the month. Definitely an idea worth looking into.
Find Your Perfect Budgeting System — Oooo, Thrifty Little Mom has her own round-up of articles about six different ways to budget your money. Great minds think alike!
Track of the Week: Um, this one’s kind of a no-brainer. Money, by Pink Floyd, of course! :-) (PG-13 warning: one rather obvious use of “language”…)
Have a great weekend!
Ann has written Cure the Fear of Homeschooling High School: A Step-by-Step Manual for Research and Planning, Save Your Sanity While Homeschooling High School: Practical Principles for a Firm Foundation, and recently Taming the Transcript: The Essential Guide to Creating Your Teen's Homeschool Transcript from Scratch (without overwhelm). She also founded the popular Facebook groups It's Not that Hard to Homeschool High School and It's Not Hard to Homeschool K-8, and in addition she voices the It's Not That Hard to Homeschool High School Podcast.
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