A budget provides us with the organization to keep our holiday spending in check. It is a written plan of where our money needs to go and how much we have to ‘play with’ as it relates to creating the Christmas we desire. Without a budget, we may have no idea just how much financial damage we have caused until the bills come in. And no one wants to have a great Christmas but end up having to pay for it for months (or years) later. Debt is another four letter word most of us would like to wipe clean from our vocabulary. Following is a family budget worksheet. Feel free to print it out and alter it to fit your specific needs. Be sure to write down everything so you have a realistic total of how much you can or can’t spend. Granted, the exercise of doing a budget takes time but it is well worth the investment of a few hours now instead of a few months of hardship later. To start, you must first determine the total amount you have available to spend.
Fill in realistic estimates of what you can afford and add it up.
If your estimates are more than your total amount, you will have to start trimming. Where you trim is personal and entirely up to you. One person may see themselves cutting back in one area while another may feel the same area is too important and will actually want to direct the bulk of their money to it. Give your budget the time and consideration it deserves. And, remember, never spend more than your budget permits. Holiday Budget
|