How To Create A Budget
Managing your finances can be tricky. Many people have no idea what they are spending their money on, or where it is going. To get started on your budget, get your priorities straightened out. Food will be the most important on the list. A heart-breakingly large number of Americans are undernourished today, and food is basic sustenance that you need to survive and preserve your well being. Keep in mind though that even though food is extremely important, it is financially wise to avoid eating meals out all of the time, and looking for deals at the grocery store can be helpful.
Shelter is a necessity as well, so put your mortgage or rent second. The utility company comes next, because you need to have heat in the winter and lights on at your place. If you use a phone that will probably come next, and transportation to work is key so make that car payment. If you are a parent that owes child support, be sure to pay this not only because it’s part of being a good person and a good parent, but because if you don’t pay you can get thrown in jail. And finally, going to see the doctor and getting your health checked, especially if you have no insurance requires that you pay a bill occasionally .
So these are your major priorities. Make sure that you have you taken care of and move on. Unfortunately, the government comes second. If you have the funds to pay your taxes immediately, the IRS will typically work with you to create a schedule of payments. But always file your taxes by the due date. Not filing may result in interest and penalties of up to twenty five percent of what you owe.
Student loans are also important. Most of these are administered by the government. That means that, like back taxes, the government can collect on these loans in a way that other creditors can’t. If you are late in paying your student loans or back taxes, the government can garnish your salary and take your tax refunds, and in some cases, your Social Security benefits. Luckily for us, Uncle Sam also has a variety of options for individuals who cannot afford to make their student loan payments, including stretching out the amount (and therefore reducing) the amount you owe monthly or putting them on hold if you’re out of work. Keep in mind though, that the longer you take to pay off the loans, the more interest will gather, so tighten your belt and pay as much as you can.
All of your other debts, department store debts, payments for furniture and appliances, and bank-card debt can be placed on the back-burner for now. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay them, but if you are in a place where you know that every creditor is not going to get paid, these are the ones that you can put on hold. It is a good thing to know how much debt you have, and where your money needs to go, and now you need to figure out where it is going now. Think about how much money you may spend on eating out, cups of coffee or cigarettes. Try to develop the discipline to get a budget book and jot down every cent that you spend.
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February 5, 2012 | Posted by Takara Alexis
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