Megan, have you guys actually done a budget before? I have been doing a detailed budget for YEARS. I have a spreadsheet that is tweaked and nearly perfect. What you do is put in your budged amount, then each week you take EVERY SINGLE receipt and plug it in to its category, and you get a running total of every dime you spend that month. You will then know where every singe dollar you spend goes, and it will reveal to you some amazing spending habits, good or bad. I would be willing to send it to you if you want, it would save you a lot of time creating a budget. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. This is an awesome tool my hubby put togehter, he was certified through a church program (can't remember the name of it sorry) but its not for church purposes, it was a program designed to help families realise how important budgeting is and to help them reach ZERO debt!! (We have zero debt, except for our house, everything else is monthly utilities, living expenses). Its a long story and I don't want to ramble, but this tool is amazing and really helpful in so many ways...let me know if you want details, PM or email me...
|