Going on 27 years old, am fair skinned and in the last couple years I have noticed the wrinkles or the вЂњfine linesвЂќ starting to happen. (Even tho I must admit, when I was in my 20s-early 30s, I felt that way, too!)

IвЂ™ve tried sharing my budget tips with younger family members, and they shake their heads at me вЂ™cause they donвЂ™t get it (or maybe they just donвЂ™t get ME, go figure!) They think itвЂ™s just a little crazy or silly to do. If there were changes (and there usually were), I knew where the changes were coming from & where I needed to reevaluate that purchase that I considered a вЂњlittle something extraвЂќ (mainly the frozen coffees I splurged on a couple days a week since the deli in my office building sold them).and then I invested in a small blender from a nearby thrift store ($3.00+change) & concocted my own recipe with the items already in my pantry! (try that for a few weeks & watch your budget have a surplus!)

I kept a small memo tablet in my purse & jotted down any- and everything вЂњextraвЂќ so I could enter it during the weekly check-up. I was diligent with using this spreadsheet & checked it on a weekly basis. When I used this spreadsheet, IвЂ™d plug in all those non-changing items for the whole year (rent, transit expenses, cable, cell phone bill), and for other utilities, I averaged six months worth & added $10 to whatever the average was вЂ“ since one bill is never the same unless youвЂ™re on some type of budget plan вЂ“ With this guesstimate, I found that I generally had money back in my pocket which I applied to paying off a credit card hereвЂ™nвЂ™there! The other вЂњtoolsвЂќ IвЂ™ve used mainly show what IвЂ™m spending & when/where IвЂ™m spending it (like, when a bill is due, I open my budget spreadsheet, enter the amounts being paid, click AutoSum, and IвЂ™m done with it.) Still, IвЂ™m finding that I donвЂ™t have quite the same вЂњstick-with-itвЂќ attitude doing it that way as I do with this one.

I personalized it more by adding in extra columns to reflect my bi-weekly pay dates. IвЂ™ve used several others since, but I think IвЂ™m going back to this one it really is the best. This spreadsheet is very similar to one I used a few years ago. Little reviews and updates can add up to big changes. Step 5: Repeat, Revisit, Review!Д¬heck in with your spending, earning, and debt reduction. By facing the hard stuff and making changes youвЂ™ll turn your money around, rather than turning your back on your money. Step 4: Turn it around!ДЇacing the numbers and looking for ways to cut spending, increase income, or changing spending habits can be a messy uncomfortable process. Wherever you spend, however much you owe, whatever you save - Your monthly totals are not your self worth, itвЂ™s your starting line.

Family: Childcare, allowance, activities, books, toys.

Routine Expenses: Groceries, clothing, personal.

Enjoyment: Gifts, holiday, pets, entertainment, restaurants, hobbies.

Financial: Bank fees, interest payments, debt repayment, savings accounts.

Medical: Prescriptions, dental, health insurance.

Utilities: Streaming, internet, phone, electricity, water.

Transportation: Car, transit, fuel, maintenance, bicycle.

Home Expenses: Rent, mortgage, insurance, maintenance, property taxes.

Income: Salary, bonuses, investments, spousal income.

Fill in the blanks and account for your cash. Grab your receipts, sort your bills, and check your bank accounts. But getting past the feels can lead to greater money confidence and increased financial independence. Feeling overwhelmed and stressed is normal.

Add it up: Tally your monthly expenses.

Free budgeting software 2019