I’ve got 6 words for you.
Budget.
Budget. Budget.
Budget. Budget. Budget.
© wandee007 – stock.adobe.com
Does that word tend to make you anxious? Just think of it as a synonym for “spending plan,” which gets a better rap and helps you understand its purpose right away.
If you have entered the world of adulthood and never tried to budget, now might be a great time, especially if you have no clue about money.
Because even if you have a great job and low expenses right now, you might not be in the same circumstances in 3-5 years. Maybe your goals will change, or you’ll have kids, or you’ll quit your job to stay home with those kids. These are all valid reasons why doing a budget each month could be one of the most important financial moves you will make while you are still young.
In high school, soon after starting my first “real” part-time job, I got a crash course in budgeting from my dad. While I knew what a budget was all about (because my parents sat down to budget as many as 4 times a month), I didn’t know the ins and outs until my dad showed me what to do.
I was lucky. Not everyone gets a crash course, let alone formal training, in money management.
If that sounds like you, and money gives you a headache, I suggest you learn some things about how to budget.
Surely you have goals and dreams for your life. You can more easily reach those if you manage your money wisely starting today.
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20 Excellent Resources for Budgeting Newbies
Over the years, I’ve come across several excellent resources about budgeting, and I have been greatly impressed with the quality of these posts. So I thought I would do a roundup of beginning budgeting resources for your benefit. I am sure I could write my own beginning budgeting post, but I think it’s important to get varying opinions and ideas from several places and then make your own decisions from there. The more you know about budgeting, the more you will decide that it is the right thing to do in your life to make it better.
Starting a Budget
The first set of resources below are great to read if you are just starting out with your budget. They are basic, many have steps to them, and they are all filled with information that each author finds important to creating an effective budget. Read one or read them all! It might help to read them all just so you can get the ideas stuck in your head and see what several budget-savvy people have to say.
How to Make the Simplest Budget Ever! – A Cultivated Nest
A Simple Budget Solution – Joyfully Thriving
Budgeting Basics – Loving Littles
Budgeting 101: How to Start Bossing Your Money Around – Thrifty Little Mom
The Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting Series – Creative Savings
The Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting – The Budget Mama
How to Start a Budget – The Peaceful Mom
How to Start a Budget (When You Suck at Budgeting) – The Busy Budgeter
The Beginner’s Guide to Budgeting* (book) – by Allison Lindstrom (from Frugal on the Prairie)
Budget Like a Pro! 8 Budget Basics – How Does She?
Become a Money Manager – Power Over Life
Tweaking Your Budget for Your Needs
The next set of resources are great once you have set up a budget and have been in the habit of keeping up with it for a while. Now is the time to figure out if you need to make any changes and find the right type of budget for you.
Find Your Perfect Budgeting System – Thrifty Little Mom
6 Brilliant Ways to Succeed at Budgeting – Cents and Order
Budgeting Every Penny: How zero-based budgeting helps us pay off more debt – Six Figures Under
Cash Flow Budgeting Secrets – A Mom’s Take
The 70% Rule: How to Afford Spending, Saving, and Investing on ANY Income – Fun Cheap or Free
Budgets on Paper
These resources are great if you would like to print off a budget and use it that way. There’s no initial work involved for you, and you can see if a paper budget works in your favor.
Printable Budget Worksheets – Living Well Spending Less
How to Make a Simple Budget Binder – The Peaceful Mom
How to Create a Budget (Plus a Free Budget Worksheet) – Single Moms Income
Budgeting Encouragement
Finally, these last two resources are great to read if you still just don’t buy into budgeting. Is it really going to help you, or is it a waste of your time? Obviously, I’m gonna say it’s not a waste at all!
6 Reasons Smart People Use a Budget – Thrifty Frugal Mom
How a Budget Changed Our Lives, and Helped Us Tackle a Massive Amount of Debt – Money Saving Mom
Remember, budgeting is not reserved for the most financially savvy among us. No, instead it’s for anyone who has an income and/or expenses. You should be telling your money where it is going each and every day, not the other way around.
Do you know of any stellar budgeting resources especially for beginners?
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Charlee Flaminio
What a great resource! Budgets can be a bit of work, but they are SO worth it! I know that there is no way we would have been able to pay off our $90,000 mortgage in 5 years if we hadn’t had a budget. There’s something about budgeting that, even if you view it as more of a spending guide and don’t strictly adhere to it, just helps keeps you more focused and conscious of what you are using your money and resources for.
How great does it feel to no longer have a mortgage?? That’s amazing! Yep, a budget definitely keeps you accountable and allows for more freedom in the long run!
Great list of resources, Charlee! There are a couple new links here that I’m eager to read.
Thanks, Kristen!
I love having a place to send people who are new to budgeting- great idea. It’s also worth mentioning that even us “experienced” budgeting folk can benefit from many of those articles. I’m always surprised by what I don’t know about personal finance 🙂
You’re so right, Janeen! Personal finance can be very intimidating even to us who have learned a lot, and we all make plenty of mistakes!
It’s exciting to see so many awesome budgeting resources here! This is a great page to bookmark. Thanks so much for including my series!
You’re welcome, Kalyn! Thanks for popping in.
It is important to have a budget, if you don’t that is when trouble can occur. Great list of resources, thanks for sharing!