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Continuation of Articles
A
Simple Family Budget
A recent article,
“Why Talking About Money Leads to
‘Happily-Ever-After‘”, posted by Bean Jones on Mark
Joyner’s famous Simplelogy site, states, “Next to sex, it
seems like money is the most controversial aspect of a marriage.”
This may or may not be a statistical fact, however, below is a simple,
broad range budget that will make this easier.
Based on a monthly
spendable/bring home income of $3000.00.
Savings 10% =
$300.00 10% = $300.00
Housing 30% =
$900.00 33% = $990.00
Utilities 18% =
$540.00 20% = $660.00
Groceries 15% =
$450.00 16% = $480.00
Automobile 14% =
$420.00 18% = $540.00
Miscellaneous 13%
= $390 3% = $90.00
Below is a broad
list of expenses within each category.
Housing: Mortgage
payment (which usually includes: property taxes and insurance) or rent,
termite and pest control.
Utilities: Power,
gas, water, telephone, cable, internet expenses, cell phones
Groceries: Food
(include restaurant and fast food expenditures), cleaning supplies,
personal care items.
Automobile: Loan
payment, insurance, gasoline, regular maintenance.
Miscellaneous: Medical
expenses, clothing, entertainment, lawn maintenance, etc.
Note, that there
is not a category for credit cards. This is because the expenditures on
credit cards should fall within one of the major categories listed
above. Also, note that the first set of numbers will give you a decent
amount of money for the miscellaneous category while the second, will
have you living paycheck to paycheck, with the exception of the ten
percent savings.
It is suggested
that you take the last two to six months of expenditures and apply them
to the numbers in the above plans. This will give you a basis for
starting a controlled budget. This would be a great time to bring in
your significant other. Ask him/her to help with making adjustments,
gaining the control required to live free of money worries and stress,
and discussing short and long term goals.
And last, but not least,
bring in the children. This can go a long way in answering the
“whys” floating around their heads. “Why does
Mommy/Daddy leave me at the daycare?” “Why can’t I
have that shinny new toy?” At the very least it can be a great
lesson in understanding the basic concepts of money managing and taking
responsibility.
Below is a great
resource that will save you time and stress when creating your budget.
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