Chapter 1: How to Make a Budget and Stick to It
Chapter 2: Creating Personal Budget Goals
Chapter 3: Assessing Your Current Financial Situation
Chapter 4: Identifying Budget Focus Areas
Chapter 5: Staying Committed to Your Budget
Chapter 6: Budget Software
Budgeting no longer involves complicated record keeping, hours of doing calculations and finding your way through confusing expense accounts. There are many different software tools that help make this a simple and uncomplicated affair.
BudgetPulse – This package lets you systematize expenses and control your bank accounts with ease. Charting and graphical representations give you an easy to understand summary of how well you are doing. You can also compare your progress, and share financial goals with friends and relatives to get an outside perspective on your progress.
Mvelopes – This package allows you to structure your expenses under various headings. It can be integrated with your online bank accounts so that direct debit payments are directly recorded into your expense sheets.
Mint – An online budgeting tool that keeps track of all your expenses and payments, including loans and investments. Mint gives you a complete and accurate picture of your financial state at any given time without your having to undertake complex calculations and record gathering.
A businesslike approach to budgeting is a good way to ensure success. It is very important for not just you but all your family members to fully commit themselves to the budget. Ensure that you have some allocation for fun things too, like a monthly allocation for an outing. Otherwise, you may lose motivation and will find it very difficult to stick to your budget.