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As an individual, family or corporate organization, we have
had to do a form of budgeting either once or twice.
What then is the term
BUDGETING? Budgeting is an estimate of income and expenditures for a period of
time. Budget is futuristic; it is a workable plan of all income and expenditure
for a specified future period. To have a good understanding of wealth and
equally be wealthy, budgeting plays a crucial role. The formula for Wealth is:
Wealth= Time + Money.
We must understand that to be financially independent our passive income must be greater than our
expenses.
Reasons why you need
a personal Budget:
1. It is
easier to become wealthy and be financially free with a personal budget:
Personal Budget will open your consciousness to where your money goes every
month, the truth is most of us know we spend money but do not have a grip on
what and what we spend on and before we know it we are broke and indebted in
the process, eagerly waiting for the next pay check/salary as the case may be.
2. It is
easier to stay out of debt: With the aid of a Personal Budget you will
avoid the regular pitfall of recurring debt traps.
3. It is
easier to get out of debt faster: Personal Budget brings your debt to your
face and makes them a priority to be cleared, unlike when you do not have them
written down. Sometimes we genuinely forget we owe some money, other times we
pretend to forget *wink*
5
It helps
with overcoming bad spending habits: Personal Budgeting will save you from
bad spending habits, as it will starve the cravings with little or no allocation
of funds to nourish such
6. It helps
you understand your ‘Financial self’ better: With Personal Budget you will
know your true Financial Self in terms of your position or standings
financially.
7. It helps
you achieve your personal financial goals: Financial goals are key drivers
of Personal Budget, hence with a functional budget in place, achieving your
financial goal is on track.
·
-- You must decide to create a personal Budget and
be ready to work with it. I must stress that creating a budget is simple
compared to living with a budget. It takes discipline and consistency.
· -- Another key thing in creating a budget is
identifying what your financial goals are. Ask yourself basic questions and be
true to yourself in giving the answers. Questions not limited to:
1)
Do I like my present financial conditions?
2)
What kind of financial future do I desire?
3)
With the way I am handling my finances can I
achieve financial freedom?
4)
Do I really need to borrow, with my level of
income?
5)
Am I living above my income and means?
6)
What kind of life/school do I want my children
to go to?
· -- It is important to do your budget in the same
frequency as you are paid, if you get your salary on a monthly basis, make a
monthly budget. And if you get it on a weekly or Bi-weekly basis do it as your
pay comes in, and for my entrepreneurs, do it on a weekly basis or on the way
you pay yourself.
· -- Get your expenses pencilled down, all your
expenses’ (Fixed expense, Variable expenses and wants.) Be true to write everything down.
· -- Know all sources of your income. (for Salary
earners it is simple, also add all other sources)
· -- Know how much you owe, take time out to look at
your short term middle term and long term loans.
· -- Be ready to make adjustment along the way, and
do not over burden yourself as this will make the budget/budgeting an
unbearable task for you. When budgets are built to tight, it becomes
unrealistic and in the long run, following true becomes difficult.
Don’t say because you want to save you now
become a pauper, do not become a slave of money, rather rule money and use it
wisely, the teaching and thought line of this blog is not to make us slaves to
money but rather we rule money and command it effectively.
Next time we will look at more practical,
hands on financial scenarios that can help us develop simple and complex
budget. However we can refer and recommend our friends to the blog.
Remember we will be financially free, if we
are financially well educated.
I think 1 important mention here is 'be prepared to make adjustment along the way' cos for some of us, adjusting a budget make me feel it was unrealistic abinitio. Also the part of not been slave to money is critical- saving means u have to be cautious but u also have to look good.
ReplyDeleteBudgeting even at the country level is adjusted through the instrument of 'supplementary budget', I must quickly add that this is not a means of saying the budget is not workable. For any budget to work we must be very discipline. Thanks for commenting Aliq.
ReplyDeleteThanks Babat!! This write up is just what I need. Cant wait for the second part
ReplyDeleteI do not like my present financial condition, i spend anyhow, I just followed you on twitter. I will discuss some issues with you i need heellllpppp!!!
ReplyDelete