The Modern Spendthrift’s Guide to Budgeting

In a world of instant purchases and constant online shopping temptations, it’s easy to fall into the trap of overspending. 

Whether it’s grabbing a coffee you don’t need, splurging on a sale, or buying the latest gadgets, many of us have spendthrift habits that can sneak up on us. This is where budgeting comes to the rescue. 

Setting up a budget is a good first step to taking control of your financial situation. While budgeting may not be an exciting way to spend your time, understanding where your money goes can be insightful and bring huge benefits. 

Budgeting helps you feel more in control and encourages you to plan and save for the future. By tracking how much money is going in and out of your accounts, you can get a clear picture of your finances and regain control of your money. 

Creating a budget is essential if you want to effectively manage your finances and improve your spending habits. However, if you’ve never made a budget before, the process can feel quite overwhelming. We’ve put together this guide to help you get started. 

In this article, we’ll explore the basics of budgeting and how to manage your budget. By budgeting effectively, you can improve your spending habits and work towards your financial goals.

Let’s begin!

What Exactly Is a Budget?

A budget is a plan that demonstrates how you’ll spend, or save, different portions of your income. Using a budget to decide what you can afford to spend on in different areas of your life makes it easier to meet your immediate financial needs and obligations. 

Whether you’re saving for major purchases, paying off employed loans, or looking to cut back on expenses, a well-planned budget keeps you focused on your goals. 

Why Is Budgeting Important?

Budgeting has become more important than ever before. With the cost of living crisis and everything from rent, groceries, utility bills and fuel prices increasing, having a budget has become essential when managing your money. 

Sticking to a budget is easier said than done. However, when followed consistently and reviewed and adjusted regularly, a budget allows you to enjoy greater financial freedom. It also helps you manage your finances more confidently. 

How To Manage Your Budget

Managing a budget doesn’t always have to be complex or restrictive. With the right strategies, you can take control of your spending and enjoy your purchases, while saving for the future. 

Let’s explore some of the steps to effectively manage your budget: 

1. Work Out Your Income

Before planning your budget, you need to understand exactly how much money you’ve got coming in each month. Alongside this, account for any deductions, bonuses, or side earnings you receive. This will give you a clear picture of what you’re working with and reduce the risk of overspending. 

Once you work out your actual income, you can make your budget realistic and manageable. 

2. Where Could You Save?

A budget is a great tool that helps you understand where and how you can save money. The best place to start is by examining your monthly outgoings. 

Look at your spending from previous months to understand your typical expenditure and identify areas where you may be overspending. For example, a service subscription or gym membership you no longer use or need. 

By looking at your budget, you’ll be able to quickly spot areas where you’ve been spending more than you realised and then come up with ways to save money. 

3. ‘Needs vs Wants’ – Work Out What You Can Go Without

A vital aspect of budgeting is distinguishing between your needs and wants. With all your expenses listed out, you need to figure out what is and what isn’t essential spending. 

Expenses like rent, insurance, groceries, and utility bills are all ‘needs’ that you can’t go without. However, the real change in your spending habits comes from cutting back on your ‘wants’.

Your ‘wants’ refers to money that is often spent on eating out, entertainment, clothes shopping, and other impulsive purchases. You’ll find that it’s easier to reduce your spending when it comes to your ‘wants’. For example, you could set up spending limits for yourself. 

Cutting back on your ‘wants’ is an effective way to reduce your spending and immediately rescue your wallet. 

4. Dealing With Your Debt

Face your debt head-on when managing your budget. Begin by listing all your debts, along with their interest rates and due dates. 

If you can, pay off as much as you can on all the high-interest debts first, such as loans, overdrafts, or credit card debt. Ensure you check the terms of your agreements to avoid any additional fees or charges. 

By tackling your debts systematically, you can reduce your financial stress and free up more room in your budget. 

5. Ongoing Maintenance

Nothing is certain in life and change can also impact your budget. Regularly review your budget and make any adjustments as needed. By reviewing your budget at regular intervals, you can ensure you’re on track to meet your financial goals, adjust them, or set new goals when needed. 

6. Breakdown Your Budget

When creating a budget, the 50/30/20 rule is a great starting point. According to this rule, you divide your income into three different categories; putting 50% toward essential expenses, 30% towards wants, and 20% towards savings. 

Once you’ve decided how to divide your income and learn how to stick to it, you can manage your finances more easily. 

7. Set a Savings Goal

You’re likely to save more if you have a goal to work towards. Having savings goals helps bring the bigger picture into focus and can help you reign in your spending.

To Sum Up

If you’re struggling with managing your money and controlling your spending, making a budget may be a step in the right direction. 

By knowing exactly how much money you have coming in and going out, you can prioritise spending, save more, and ensure you have enough money for every month. 

As you work on your budget each month, you need to remind yourself of exactly why you’re doing it to stay focused and committed. Evaluating your progress periodically will help you maintain your budget effectively and ensure you’re on track to meeting your financial goals.