Well, just as true as the saying, " A picture says a thousand words" so is the budget for saving your money. We recently started to budget -- hardcore. And I've found that I've never been MORE excited about our finances. In the past, I've always let David handle our finances and I've found that it was hard for me to understand them when he was the only one checking our balance and then informing me what we had left. But, since this budget has been in place, and me recently named co-budget-queen, life has been floating along SO smoothly! I've instated a savings plan that puts away almost $400 a month for important bills and still leaves a small amount for my secret vices...like eBay!! The magic of seeing our earnings and spending on paper, or in this case in an Excel doc, has created a whole new financial world for us otherwise thought unobtainable. I couldn't advocate it more. Growing up I was always the horde-er. Any nickle, quarter, dime or penny found was immediately secreted away and saved until I could find something worthy enough to relinquish it for. True to horde-form, I started saving all of my spare change in a HUGE glass bottle. I still have it to this day and in it are only silver coins. Pennies have their place in the world, true, but not in THIS bottle! And just recently, David and I opened yet another savings account due to the fact we found a higher interest rate. I still have yet to dabble in the market with stocks, but I have a feeling that will be my next step. To be honest, this physical form of budgeting has empowered me to actually CARE about our money and where it's going. I find myself more hesitant to spend money because in my mind's eye that little Excel document rears its template head and screams at me numbers and figures that won't match up if I spend that extra $25 at Urban Outfitters...hmmm, sounds like a virtual conscience. Here is the budget:
Now, I know this is a bit microscopic, but I can send you the file if you're interested in starting one of your own! (also, double click on the image and it will enlarge the image)
P.S
This is not OUR financial status that I'm posting...this is just an example.
