Budgeting is as Easy as 1-2-3

Establishing a budget to can help you save the money you need to start a small business, buy your first home or send your children to college. You might think that you don't need a budget and can save money without one, but everyone can benefit from a budget. Have you ever started the day with $20 and, at the end of the day, not known where it all went? If so, you might want to develop a budget.

A budget simply is a tool to help you understand where your money goes. If you own a business, knowing how to budget will help you understand how money flows in and out of your business. There are three steps to creating a budget:

1- Identify Your Net Monthly Income

The first step in developing a budget is to identify the money that comes into your household after all of the deductions have been made, such as taxes, Social Security insurance, etc.

2- Identify Your Monthly Expenses

The second step is to identify your expenses. Your expenses are the things you spend money on. Be sure to include expenses that occur every month like rent and phone bills, as well as expenses that occur periodically like car insurance and medical bills.

3- Subtract Your Monthly Expenses from Your Income

The final step is to subtract your expenses from your income. If you have money left over, you can decide how to spend or save that money. If your expenses are greater than your income, you and your family have to decide which expenses can be reduced or decide how you can earn more income.