Becoming A Budget Expert

Don’t go over budget expert      

This is the    first rule of budgeting and pretty much the only one. It sound fairly obvious, but it’s easy to go over budget even when you have one in place. Be mindful of your spending habits and what your money is going towards. Read more....

Keeping a journal

In the early stages of keeping a budget, it might be helpful to keep a daily journal of your spending habits. Write out what you spend money on each day. It could be eye-opening to track some of your expenses. Keep an eye for repeated purchases which might be easily avoidable, like a trip for coffee every morning.

Know the difference between luxuries and necessities 

Determine what the have-tos in your budget are versus the want-tos. There’s money left over, indulge in things like going out or shopping. 

Reduce Larger Expenses

These are often the most unpleasant, but most effective ways to stay within a budget. If you take an annual vacation, consider staying home this year. Think about any 'Vices" you may have that are also pretty expensive. cutting down on these is a good way to get more bang out of your buck and feel good about yourself while you are still at it. If you smoke, look at ways you could quit. If you are a connoisseur of Courvoisier, consider cutting back

Leave your Debit/Credit Card at Home

When you are out for the night, it’s very easy (and tempting) to leave your debit or credit card at the bar and ring up a tab. Don't! This is a very easy way to ring up a high bill that will set you way off budget. Infact, consider only spending cash and giving up your credit card altogether. Studies have shown that people who use cash instead of credit actually spend less money. That's because people tend to feel the pain of parting with their money more when its cash they spend; credit cards simply don't feel like cash, so your brain is more likely to justify the spending.