What's the best and easiest way to budget?

how to budget

Start by keeping track of all your spending. Then use that information to put money aside for the things you spend money on. If you want to save money or direct your money elsewhere (emergency fund etc.) change your budget to reflect your desires.

Good luck

Cut out your wants ( shopping, Starbucks, etc) and start thinking about your needs (rent, food, utilities, car note, ins, etc).

I suppose the envelope budget is probably the easiest.

https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-envelope-budgeting-1293682

No Starbucks. dunkin, cut back the booze.

There's no one way to budget that works for everyone. I personally have had great success with a spending plan, also referred to as zero-based budgeting. It's when you allocate money for every expense you have. So if your income is $1,000 a month, your budget has expenses that total $1,000 every month. Housing, groceries, gas, entertainment, travel, grooming, etc…

write down you montly bills and see how much you make a month and go from there.

I have learned the easiest and best way for me to budget is writing everything down then put money in envelopes for those bills it has helped me realize that you can't always feel spoiled you have to be an adult and realize that you can't have everything that you want so I challenge you guys to write down your bills or what you have coming out of your check that week even get envelopes and put the money in it and feel them label the envelopes put them up

Mint.com

Thanks for the advice

figure out your monthly expenses. then figure out how much to save from each check

Tracking monthly and weekly expenses helps.

Honestly I have been doing dave ramsey plan for almost two years with barely any income. I saved enough to buy a cash car and have another emergency savings account that is my focus.

Mint.com is really good for tracking expenses but it doesn't connect to all credit card companies. Also try cutting expenses where you can such as cable and shop around for a cheaper insurance rate.

I use the envelope method as well. Most bills are around the same every month, so I add them all up and divid by 4 and out that back every week,

I write a list every month of what my bills and necessities will be and then after that I take a set amount out to save. Whatever is left ,I make due with.

I love the idea of the envelope method. It sounds like it really helps to put things into perspective.

The envelope budget method.

I use coupons & any savings from that I save in my bank account. Plus I have my debit card setup for cash back at various stores.

I have setup a reverse budget where I pay myself first with a direct deposit from my paycheck into separate bank accounts setup for specific goals (emergency fund, car, travel, etc.) and then budget with what's leftover. I’ve found that automating my savings has made reaching my financial goals a lot easier https://www.clevergirlfinance.com/blog/reverse-budgeting/

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Some real good ideas here. I am going to try some

Writing your budget out n sacrificing a lot of things u don’t need or adjust your needs
N wants

I use the 60/40 budget.
60% of your monthly expenses should be "fixed/the same" every month. This includes:
house/rent payment
insurance (medical/auto/home/life ect.)
utilities (heat, water, t.v., cell phone, internet ect.)
groceries/food/house hold cleaning supplies,
car/credit card payments
beauty items (make up, hair care, nail/skin care products or appointments)
Fuel/gas for your car
If some of the above items change each month (like your heating bill) I find out my average monthly cost for the past 12 months.

The other 40% each month should be divided into 4 groups of 10% each:
10% for emergency savings
10% for long term/big savings goals (like saving for a house, car, college, braces, ect.)
10% for retirement
10% for spending/fun money (entertainment, clothes, shoes, or general "wants")

For example: If a person takes home $2,000 a month then……
Fixed monthly expenses should not exceed $1,200 (2,000 X 0.60 = $1,200)
Emergency savings = $200
Long term savings = $200
Retirement = $200
Spending/fun money = $200 or $50 per week
I like this budget because I make sure to pay myself/my savings accounts first. After getting myself on track I was able to cut my monthly expenses to just 50% of my budget, and add extra to my savings accounts each month! Now I have more of a 50/50 budget.

Of course there are MANY kinds of budgets. You just have to find one that works for you. If you don't like one budget, try another, until you find one you like..

My issue is receipts. I can seem to get them together. They grow and fade. I need some help with this.