Continued from page 1
You next step is to set up a simple and workable budget. For many people living on a budget is like serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison. It doesn't have to be that way. The worst thing you can do is develop a budget that takes hours every day to manage.
While you are developing your budget you need to look for every way possible to cut corners but you have to be realistic. If you try to budget $400 a month for groceries then you need to make sure that you can make it on $400. If you can't then you have to set aside more.
Being organized is also an important aspect of money management. Assign one member of
family to manage budget and bill paying. Setup your files so that you can quickly lay your hands on bills, receipts, contracts, etc.
Deciding you have willingness to get control of your money, setting your goals and developing a budget will all take an enormous amount of discipline to carry it out. I believe that if everybody applied same discipline to their finances that they use to get up in morning, go to work, take care of kids and all of other things we have to do everyday, money management wouldn't be such a struggle for some people.
Today, you don't have to do this alone. The internet has thousands of web sites that are designed to help. Most of them won't cost you a cent. However, it is going to be up to you to decide if you are ready.
Terry Rigg is the author of Living Within Your Means - The Easy Way http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/ebookadpage.html and editor of The FREE Budget Stretcher Newsletter and Budget Stretcher web site http://www.homemoneyhelp.com. He has 25 years of experience counseling individuals and families concerning their personal finances.
