budget written for money management

Simple Budgeting Tips To Manage Your Money Better

It’s no surprise that a good budget is a foundation for managing your money correctly. However, most people don’t stick to a budget or don’t have one to begin with.

Luckily, we’ve put together these simple budgeting tips to help you manage your money. No frills, fancy expressions, or confusing plans – just 6 easy-to-follow tips to help get your finances back on track.

Simple Budgeting Tips That Can Help You Manage Money

1. Start With The Basics

You can’t use budgeting tips without setting a budget first. A basic budget will list your income and expenses. This list can be recorded in an old-fashioned notebook, detailed in a budgeting app, or created with a simple excel sheet that will do the math for you.

You’re going to need to note all of the money you make for the month – including any extra money that is given to you outside of work – and every necessary bill you have. You’re also going to want to set an amount for “discretionary spending” that you can spend on wants, such as grabbing a coffee or buying something that caught your eye at the store.

As time progresses, you’ll soon get a feel for your spending and make small adjustments to your budget and behavior to meet your financial goals.

2. Use These Organization Tips

Budgets can get messy, so we recommend trying a digital version that will do the math for you. This takes the calculator out of the mix and updates your budget much more quickly every time you revise it.

If you prefer to stick to pen and paper, include some highlighters to pinpoint important expenses or notes – but limit the colors to about 2-3 max. You don’t want your budget to look like a rainbow that needs a key to understand.

woman cutting card to manage debt

3. Keep Your Family Involved

If you share expenses with family, a spouse, a partner, or children, involve them in the budgeting process. They should know what your financial goals are and ideally be on board with them – especially if you share a bank account. It will also be easier to track your expenses and manage your money if everyone knows the limits they need to stick to.

4. Remember Why You’re Budgeting

Your “why” is the reason you chose to budget. Do you want to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck? Maybe it’s finally time you got that emergency fund started. Or, better yet, perhaps you’re aiming for financial independence and stability.

This “why” is the reason behind your financial goals, and it’s going to be the motivating factor in helping you stick to your budget day in and day out. Know what it is, write it down, and remind yourself of it every day.

5. Pay With Cash

Once you know how much money you have to spend on wants, pull it out of your account and only pay for them in cash. Many studies have shown that people spend less when it’s in cash compared to when they pay by card.

When you think about it simply, it’s harder to say goodbye to your hard-earned cash when it’s in your hand. Spending it by card, not so much. Leave the credit card at home and the debit card in the car, and stick to your paper bills from now on.

6. Review Your Budget Weekly

Writing out a neat budget and forgetting about it isn’t going to do you any good. One of the most important budgeting tips is to make a plan to review your budget at least once a week.

Update any numbers, take note of any spending or overspending, and plan for the following week in greater detail. It’ll be much easier to be accurate about your spending when it’s fresh on your mind instead of trying to think back to what you bought two or three weeks ago.

calculator and payday advance cash

Consider A Payday Advance

While starting a budget is ideal for anyone with an income and expenses, you may have urgent bills that need to be dealt with right away. These bills may include overdue utility bills, car repairs, home repairs, or even medical care. If that emergency fund hasn’t been started yet, consider a payday advance from Carolina Payday Loans, Inc.

You can receive up to $550 with payday advance and the process is quick and easy. You don’t need collateral or good credit to apply and, if approved, you’ll likely have your cash in less than 24 hours.  

To qualify, you’ll need your license or government I.D., a blank check from your checking account, and your latest pay stub. Submit the quick online form and wait for a call from our representative. They will walk you through the payday advance process and arrange to meet you at your local office.

This meeting can last as little as half an hour. At that time, the rep will review your documents and evaluate how much money you qualify for. Once approved, you’ll have your cash by the end of that day or the next business day.

Get Extra Cash Today

These six simple budgeting tips are sure to help you manage your money, but only if your urgent expenses are accounted for and paid. If you need assistance with these types of bills, it’s time to consider a payday loan from Carolina Payday Loans, Inc. Reach out to us today and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and guide you through the short loan process. If you are in a tight spot don’t wait – your bills definitely won’t.  

 

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.

Mason Roberts

Mason Roberts is a seasoned economics writer and blogger with a knack for breaking down and simply communicating the ever-changing world of finance. He is philosophically committed to the premise that financial knowledge equals financial freedom.