3 Step Budget: Tips for Better Budgeting

Budgeting is a fundamental financial tool that plays a crucial role in managing one’s personal or business finances. By creating a well-structured budget, individuals and organizations can gain control over their income and expenses, track their financial progress, and make informed decisions about their spending and saving priorities. Budgeting provides a roadmap for financial stability and success, helping people allocate resources efficiently and achieve their short-term and long-term financial goals.

Step 1 – Determine Monthly Income

Your first step in budgeting is to tally up all the money you get each month. This means not just your job paycheck but any other cash you receive. So, if you make money by babysitting or get child support, add it in. Now, you’ll need to find your “take-home pay,” which is the money you have left after taxes and things like insurance and retirement savings are taken out. This is the money you can use for your budget. Once you get the hang of monthly budgeting, you can think about planning for six months or even a whole year ahead.

Step 2 – Identify High-Priority Bills

Now, let’s move on to the important stuff in your budget. These are the bills that you absolutely can’t miss, like your rent or mortgage, utilities, your car payment, and insurance. They’re called “high-priority” because you’ve got to pay them every month, and they’re usually about the same amount each time. Some bills, like insurance, you only pay every few months. For those, you can break down the cost by dividing it into smaller pieces to make it easier to budget. For example, if it’s a quarterly bill, just split it into three equal parts for each month. This way, you’ll be ready to cover these important expenses without any surprises.

Step 3 – Estimate Other Expenses

​​Once you’ve taken care of those big bills, you should ideally have some money left for other important stuff, like food, fuel for your car, and managing your credit card. Now, when you’re just starting to budget, it can be tricky to figure out how much you’ll spend on groceries or gas. So, the next thing to do is make your best guess and see how it goes. Keep an eye on what you actually spend, and then compare it to your estimate. This helps you figure out if you need to adjust your budget for the next month. It’s like a trial-and-error process to get your budget just right!

What Is Discretionary Spending?

Discretionary spending refers to the portion of your budget that is not committed to fixed or essential expenses like housing, utilities, food, and transportation. It encompasses the money you have left over after covering your basic needs and financial obligations. Discretionary spending is entirely up to your discretion and can be used for non-essential or optional expenses, such as entertainment, dining out, vacations, hobbies, and savings for future goals. This category of spending provides you with the flexibility to make choices about how you use your money based on your personal preferences and priorities.

A Note About Discretionary Spending

Discretionary spending is the cash you use for things that aren’t really necessary, like fun stuff – going out, buying gifts, or getting new toys. Sometimes, people are surprised by how much they spend on these extra things. So, first, make sure you’ve set money aside for your important bills. Then, decide how much you can afford for the fun stuff, like eating out and having a good time. For example, if you usually spend $100 each month on eating out, try setting your budget at $50. Once you’ve spent that $50, don’t spend more on dining out that month. It takes some self-control, but it’s totally worth it. The money you save can go towards an emergency fund, paying off debts, saving for the future, or even a vacation. In the beginning, it might be tough, but most changes aren’t easy. You’re basically changing how you think about and handle money, and that takes time. But as you keep at it, it becomes more of a habit, and before you know it, budgeting will be second nature.

How Debt Relief Can Help Budget Planning

Debt relief can significantly aid in budget planning by providing individuals with a structured and effective way to manage their financial obligations. Here’s how it can help:

• Reducing Monthly Payments: Debt relief programs can often lead to lower monthly payments. This means that you’ll have more disposable income to allocate towards essential expenses and discretionary spending in your budget.
• Lower Interest Rates: Some debt relief options, like negotiating with creditors, can lead to lower interest rates. This results in reduced overall interest costs, leaving you with more money to allocate towards other financial goals.
• Clear Path to Debt Repayment: Debt relief programs often come with a structured plan to pay off your debts. This clear roadmap helps you set financial goals and stick to a budget that allows you to steadily reduce your debt over time.
• Reduced Stress: High levels of debt can be emotionally taxing. Debt relief can alleviate the stress associated with financial burdens, making it easier to focus on managing your budget effectively and achieving your financial goals.
• Improved Credit Score: Successfully completing a debt relief program can positively impact your credit score over time, which can lead to better access to credit and more favorable terms in the future.

By addressing and reducing debt, debt relief can provide individuals with the financial breathing room needed to create and stick to a budget, save for the future, and achieve their financial objectives more effectively.

In Need Of Debt Relief?

Many people who have trouble making ends meet accumulate debt quickly. CuraDebt is here to find the best debt-relief option available to you. CuraDebt has been helping individuals and small businesses for over 22 years nationwide. As of May 2023 CuraDebt received a score of 5 out of 5 on CustomerLobby for a total of 1179 customer views. CuraDebt is an Accredited Member of the American Fair Credit Council. Contact us for a free consultation. 1-877-850-3328.

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