Budget planning as a percentage. How to manage a family budget

The problem of lack of money is relevant for most modern families. Many people literally dream of getting out of debt and starting a new financial life. In a crisis, the burden of low wages, loans and debts affects almost all families, without exception. This is why people strive to control their spending. The essence of cost savings is not that people are greedy, but in finding financial stability and looking at your budget soberly and impartially.

The benefits of cash flow control are obvious - cost savings. The more you save, the more confidence in the future. The money saved can be used to create a financial cushion that will allow you to feel comfortable for a while, for example, if you are left without work.

The main enemy in the path of financial control is laziness. People first get fired up with the idea of ​​controlling the family budget, and then quickly cool down and lose interest in their finances. To avoid this effect, you need to acquire a new habit - to control your expenses constantly. The most difficult period is the first month. Then the control becomes a habit, and you continue to act automatically. In addition, you will see the fruits of your "labors" right away - your expenses will be reduced in an amazing way. You will personally make sure that some expenses were unnecessary and you can refuse them without harm to the family.

Accounting for family expenses and income in an Excel spreadsheet

If you are new to family budgeting, try keeping your family budget in a simple Excel spreadsheet before using the powerful and premium tools for home bookkeeping. The benefits of such a solution are obvious - you do not spend money on programs, and try your hand at controlling finances. On the other hand, if you bought a program, then it will stimulate you - since you spent money, then you need to keep records.

It is better to start drawing up a family budget in a simple table in which you understand everything. Over time, you can complicate and supplement it.

Here we see three sections: income, expenses and report. In the section “expenses” we have introduced the above categories. Near each category there is a cell containing the total consumption for the month (the sum of all days on the right). In the "days of the month" area, you enter daily expenses. In fact, this is a complete report for the month on the expenses of your family budget. This table gives the following information: expenses for each day, for each week, for a month, as well as the total expenses for each category.

As for the formulas used in this table, they are very simple. For example, the total consumption for the "car" category is calculated by the formula = SUM (F14: AJ14)... That is, this is the amount for all days on line 14. The amount of expenses per day is calculated as follows: = SUM (F14: F25)- all digits in column F from 14th to 25th rows are summed up.

The section "income" is arranged in a similar way. In this table there are categories of budget revenues and the amount that corresponds to it. In the "total" cell, the sum of all categories ( = SUM (E5: E8)) in column E from the 5th to the 8th row. The "report" section is even simpler. Information from cells E9 and F28 is duplicated here. The balance (income minus expense) is the difference between these cells.

Now let's complicate our expense table. Let's introduce new columns “expense plan” and “variance” (download the table of expenses and income). This is necessary for more accurate family budget planning. For example, you know that the cost of a car is usually 5000 rubles / month, and the rent is 3000 rubles / month. If we know the costs in advance, then we can draw up a budget for a month or even a year.

Knowing your monthly expenses and income, you can plan big purchases. For example, family income is 70,000 rubles / month, and expenses are 50,000 rubles / month. This means that every month you can save 20,000 rubles. And in a year you will be the owner of a large sum - 240,000 rubles.

Thus, the columns "expense plan" and "variance" are needed for long-term budget planning. If the value in the deviation column is negative (highlighted in red), then you have deviated from the plan. The deviation is calculated by the formula = F14-E14(that is, the difference between the plan and the actual costs by category).

What if in some month you deviated from the plan? If the deviation is insignificant, then next month you need to try to save money on this category. For example, in our table in the category "clothing and cosmetics" there is a deviation of -3950 rubles. This means that next month it is advisable to spend 2050 rubles on this group of goods (6000 minus 3950). Then, on average, in two months you will not deviate from the plan: (2050 + 9950) / 2 = 12000/2 = 6000.

Using our data from the cost table, let's build a cost report in the form of a diagram.

Similarly, we build a report on the income of the family budget.

The benefits of these reports are obvious. First, we get a visual representation of the budget, and second, we can track the percentage of each category. In our case, the most expensive items are “clothing and cosmetics” (19%), “food” (15%) and “credit” (15%).

Excel has ready-made templates that allow you to create the desired tables in two clicks. If you go to the "File" menu and select the "New" item, the program will offer you to create a finished project based on the existing templates. Our theme includes the following templates: Typical Family Budget, Family Budget (Monthly), Simple Expenditure Budget, Personal Budget, Half Month Home Budget, Student Monthly Budget, Personal Expense Calculator ...

A selection of free Excel templates for budgeting

You can download ready-made Excel spreadsheets for free using these links:

The first two tables are discussed in this article. The third table is described in detail in the article on home bookkeeping. The fourth collection is an archive containing standard templates from an Excel spreadsheet processor.

Try downloading and working with each table. After reviewing all the templates, you will surely find a table that is right for your family budget.

Excel Spreadsheets vs. Home Bookkeeping: Which One to Choose?

Each method of doing home bookkeeping has its own advantages and disadvantages. If you have never done home bookkeeping and do not have a good command of a computer, then it is better to start accounting for finances with the help of a regular notebook. Enter all expenses and incomes in it in any form, and at the end of the month you take a calculator and reduce debit to credit.

If your level of knowledge allows you to use an Excel spreadsheet processor or a similar program, then feel free to download templates for home budget tables and start accounting electronically.

When the functionality of the tables no longer suits you, you can use specialized programs. Start with the simplest software for personal accounting, and only then, when you get real experience, you can purchase a full-fledged program for a PC or smartphone. More detailed information on finance accounting programs can be found in the following articles:

The advantages of using Excel spreadsheets are obvious. It's a simple, straightforward and free solution. It is also possible to acquire additional skills in working with a spreadsheet processor. The disadvantages include low performance, poor visibility, and limited functionality.

The specialized programs for managing the family budget have only one drawback - almost all normal software is paid. Here, only one question is relevant - which program is the highest quality and cheapest? The advantages of the programs are: high performance, visual presentation of data, many reports, technical support from the developer, free updates.

If you want to try your hand at planning a family budget, but are not ready to pay money, then download for free and get down to business. If you already have experience in home bookkeeping and want to use more advanced tools, then we recommend installing a simple and inexpensive program called Housekeeper. Consider the basics of personal bookkeeping using the "Housekeeper".

Home bookkeeping in the "Housekeeper" program

A detailed description of the program can be found on this page. The Housekeeper's functionality is simple: there are two main sections: income and expenses.

The section "Income" is arranged in a similar way. User accounts are configured in the "Users" section. You can add any number of accounts in different currencies. For example, one account can be in rubles, the second in dollars, the third in Euro, etc. The principle of the program is simple - when you add an expense transaction, the money is debited from the selected account, and when it is profitable, the money, on the contrary, is credited to the account.

To build a report, you need to select a report type in the "Reports" section, specify a time interval (if necessary) and click the "Build" button.

As you can see, everything is simple! The program will independently build reports and show you the most expensive items of expenditure. Using reports and a table of expenses, you can more effectively manage your family budget.

Family budget videos in Excel

On the Internet, there are many videos dedicated to family budget issues. The main thing is that you not only watch, read and listen, but also put the acquired knowledge into practice. By controlling your budget, you reduce unnecessary expenses and increase your savings.

Family budget any family consists of expenses and income. In a previous article, I wrote about where to start. In this article, we will continue to explore the basics of home finance and take a closer look at each category of income and expense.

In the table below, I indicated what the categories of expenses and income of our family look like, according to which my wife and I keep records of personal finances.

I'll comment on each point and start with income:

Husband salary, wife salary and other sources.

These are income categories. In an ordinary average family, there are few such items of income, so I think everything is clear here. We indicate how much the husband received, how much the wife received. In the Other Sources section, I list everything that came to me from other sources. These are all kinds of shabbos, birthday gifts in the form of money, the sale of any items, such as a car or an old laptop. I even had such a case when in 2007 I twice participated in small car accidents where I was the injured party. Fortunately for me, these were minor accidents and in those cases I did not repair the car, but asked the insurance companies to transfer money to me for repairs to my bank account. After that, having withdrawn this money, it was quite logical to carry out this operation in his " Family budget"As Income - Other Sources.

Obligatory expenses

This is a category of expenses of the family budget, from which we will not go anywhere, no matter how much we would like it. Here I included such expenditure transactions as rent, payment of telephone bills, the Internet and payment of loans. These are expenses that I practically cannot adjust, unlike the rest. Except for phone payment only. Of course, you can refuse to talk, but the savings will turn out to be dubious. And since I am an active person in life and I associate many of my business qualities with mobility and efficiency, then fast communication, to which I include a mobile phone and the Internet, is necessary for me like air. Moreover, my direct income largely depends on these compulsory expenses. V Family budget your family may include other obligatory expenses, they can easily be determined by one to three months of keeping records.

Products

The category is quite complex in its filling. Sometimes even boring. But still necessary for any family budget. The more you break down into Subcategories, the clearer your grocery spending will be. And the easier it is, in the future, you will adjust your spending on groceries. For example, one summer I noticed that in ours spending on foods such as drinks and sweets increased. Having analyzed the expenses of the family budget in recent years, I realized that they are associated with hot weather. It was July-August. At that time, spending on soft drinks, ice cream, milkshakes, etc. increased. Seeing that by mid-August I was overspending on my family budget under the Food-Drinks item, I realized that by the end of the month, if I didn't take action, the overspending would increase. The first thing that occurred to me was to limit myself in the consumption of drinks. But he rejected this idea right there, because in hot weather the head thinks about something completely different and the dehydrated body simply will not give a chance to refuse soft drinks. I found the solution quickly enough. At the wholesale base I bought dried fruits from which my wife cooked tasty, healthy and well-quenching compotes. And they saved the family budget and quenched their thirst.

The same goes for the rest of the Subcategories of our family budget. Effective management of personal finances allows you to keep yourself within the framework, spend money on food within reasonable limits, save profitably and be in good financial shape!

Automobile

Here, we see items of expenses that are quite familiar to every motorist, such as fuel costs, repairs and maintenance, washing, insurance and taxes. Maintaining a family budget allows you to intelligently distribute the monetary burden on car maintenance throughout the year. For example, I always take out insurance in January. And in August I pay transport taxes. In the summer I try to spend less money on washing and wash the car myself more often. I'm going through a checkup in February. In April and October I try to change the engine oil and other consumables as needed. In winter, fuel consumption increases, and therefore there are adjustments in my financial plan. And, accordingly, I try to plan some serious work related to the maintenance and repair of the car for the remaining months "free" from monetary loads, unless of course it is some very urgent repair.

In the above text, I have already indicated such costly months for the family budget as January, February, April, August, October. This also includes the winter months: November, December and March. May, June, July remain free. For these months, I try to plan the expenses of the family budget associated with car repairs. I do something myself, especially in the summer it can be done on the street. Sometimes I involve my father or friends. Well, if the matter is complicated, then I drive the car to the service station. In the summer I buy winter tires, as during this period they have the lowest prices. Accordingly, I try to buy summer tires in winter, usually November or December.

Thanks to this approach, the burden on the family budget under the item Car usually turns out to be evenly distributed throughout the year. And not as I did before, when I did not plan such things in the family budget. Sometimes I could spend my entire salary on a car in one month, because I did not calculate the load. In such situations, I often had to go into debt, since there was no money left for a living, for food, and so on. Effective personal finance management implies comfortable spending of your own funds, and not constant sharp swings from plus to minus, and vice versa.

Entertainment

For a person, for productive activity throughout his life, it is necessary not only to work mentally and physically, but also to rest and have fun. Life is given to us once, so we must live and enjoy life, get pleasure from it. It is imperative to do what gives you pleasure and joy. Otherwise, life will become dull and boring and lose all meaning. But also on entertainment it is necessary to spend money wisely. Effective family budget management will help you to spend your funds profitably for the business. However, often people, in pursuit of entertainment, lose their goal in themselves and turn life into sheer entertainment, which is dangerous in itself. You cannot make entertainment the meaning of life. The full value of life in this lies in the fact that everything should be within reasonable limits.

In our family budget there is an expenditure item "Entertainment". Competent personal finance management allows us to control and keep ourselves within limits, but at the same time do what we like. For example, every weekend we try to entertain ourselves in different ways. In the table I tried to indicate the most interesting ways of spending leisure time for our family. helped us determine how much money is required for this or that entertainment. For example, based on two people, a movie usually costs 500-700 rubles. For sushi 700 - 1000 rubles, pizzeria 200 - 500 rubles, coffee shop 300 - 700 rubles, restaurant 800 - 2500 rubles, disco 1000 - 2000 rubles.

Here, as well as in other categories, we try to adhere to an even distribution of costs throughout the year. Of course, there are situations when we go beyond the planned costs. But keeping the family budget helps us out here too. In such cases, next weekend we plan cheaper entertainment or sometimes refuse it and spend the weekend either in nature or at home at the lowest cost. There was such a case when we went on vacation, which lasted from mid-September to mid-October.

During this vacation, we had a great rest, sunbathed, swam in the sea, gained strength and health, every day we went to discos, restaurants, in general, we had a good time, again within the framework of the pre-planned money (we will talk about planning in more detail in the following articles). Of course, they paid well for it. Therefore, upon returning home, my wife and I decided that by the end of the year we would try to save our family budget, under the heading Entertainment, since we had a great vacation on vacation. And, from mid-October until the end of the year, there were practically no serious expenses for Entertainment in our family budget. This did not affect our psychological state at all, on the contrary. We were able to save more money to invest in our future, which we were very happy about.

Taking care of yourself

Here, we indicate all the expenses of the family budget that relate to any matters related to taking care of yourself. These are trips to the hairdresser and beauty salons, the purchase of various creams for skin care, cosmetics, shampoos, the purchase of necessary medicines. We also include clothing expenses here. The category of self-care is everything related to our appearance, health, condition.

Vacation

Here, we plan and account for all the expenses associated with the vacation. Family budgeting helped us determine how much money we had spent on previous trips. For example, the last trip to the sea cost us 111,367 rubles. Moreover, this is not just a figure, but specific data for each item of expenditure, namely the cost of purchasing a voucher, visa, cosmetics for tanning, clothes and everything else. My wife and I have paid a total of 75,856 rubles. 111 367 - 75 856 = 35 511 - this is the money that we took from our reserves, namely those saved earlier and placed on. Now, in order to plan the next vacation, we will take these numbers. We will focus on the same costs and the same vacation pay. Therefore, in our financial plan, we need to make calculations of 35,511 rubles. Dividing them by 11 (we worked for so many months before taking leave) we get 3,230 rubles. This is the amount we will save from our total salary in order to rest next time. I have shown you a single example of planning our family budget.

Household products

In this category of the family budget, we indicate the costs of purchasing household goods. Keeping track of previous purchases allows you to systematically make all the necessary purchases for your home in the future. Whether it's a new TV, a kitchen set, or a refurbishment item. Acquisition becomes more meaningful. With the help of the family budget, there are less and less spontaneous expenses. Having received a salary and having a financial plan for a month in our hands, we acquire only what we have planned in advance, and not what we suddenly wanted. Having planned the family budget, we understand that by spending more money in one of the categories than was necessary, we will automatically cut ourselves in expenses in other categories. All this is impossible if not led family budget.

Education

In our family there is a clear conviction that a person in his development must constantly overcome new frontiers. You cannot stop in your development: mental, spiritual, physical. You need to constantly work on yourself. Train, read, try, ask, learn, etc. We try to use every second of our lives wisely. We are not supporters of spending our leisure time with a bottle of beer in front of the TV 365 days a year. We will be happy to spend time on our own development. This is usually reading, watching video training and listening to audiobooks. The Internet provides endless possibilities. it's like a huge encyclopedia where you can find anything you want. Like this site that will teach you how to lead effectively!

That is why we have such an item of expenditure as "Education". We regularly purchase magazines and books. We attend various educational programs, get higher education. Although Education is an expense, I still prefer to talk about it as an investment in myself that will pay off over time. Indeed, with each book I read, an audio file listened to or a video seminar watched, I become more informed in various issues, which is subsequently reflected in practice. I learn about new ways to improve the quality of my work, improve relationships with people, learn about new ways of selling, ways of investing, etc. I receive a lot of new information that helps me in various matters and makes me and my family members more successful in life. Due to the fact that at one time I was not engaged in idleness, now I know and can manage money competently and effectively manage my Family budget.

miscellanea

This is a necessary category, which appears in the form of subcategories and in other sections of our family budget. It reflects such expenses that I could not attribute to any existing ones. There is a subcategory "Unplanned" here, since life is an unpredictable thing and only seers can predict what will happen in the next minute. I do not consider myself one of them, therefore I have such a subcategory in my family budget. No one is insured against various incidents in life that entail financial expenses.

In addition, no matter how disciplined my wife and I are, money is periodically spent that we do not have time to or simply forget to fix. As a result, the subcategory "Miscellaneous - Unknown" appeared. As a rule, these are small amounts, from 50 to 500 rubles per month. Be prepared for the fact that some part of the money, your family budget, will still go past the checkout.

Translation

If we consider the management of personal finances from an economic point of view, then the family budget is a kind of system within which money flows. They come and go. The category "Transfer" is used to take into account the movement of money to other systems. In various programs for maintaining the Family budget, such systems are usually called accounts. Since our task is to learn how to correctly manage the money earned, as well as find opportunities to save some part of the money that will work for us in the future, there must accordingly be another system in which the saved money will exist, accumulate and multiply. Such a system is usually

Hello, friends!

I am an economist by education, at the university I introduce students to the basics of economics. Including with such concepts as income and expenses of the enterprise. Complete clarity in bright, but far from the real economy, young heads comes when we analyze these terms using everyday examples. For example, in a family - this is the same enterprise, only a small one. And the family budget plays no less important role than the budget of a company or a country.

A family budget is a plan for a family's income and expenses for a specific time period (month or year).

It is more important, in my opinion, to determine the question of why it is necessary to conduct it. Let's try to highlight the most important reasons.

• Real income accounting

Without knowing all your receipts and all sources of funds, it is impossible to plan costs and set achievable goals for the future.

• Cost control

If you have ever asked yourself a question, where did all the money go, then control of expenses will allow you to get an answer. We often don't notice how small spending on tasty treats is eating up our budget. But they can be completely painlessly abandoned.

• Cost planning

Once you gain control, the next step is planning. Most of our expenses are ongoing. For example, paying for gasoline or travel on public transport, utility bills, children's clubs and sections, going to the store, etc. Knowing all the upcoming expenses in the next month, it is easy to plan something more serious.

• Accumulation

For some, this is the most pleasant bonus from running a family budget. For example, in my family, the lion's share of income is spent on travel. Very expensive events, you cannot do without savings. Therefore, it is very important to know how much I can save a month without compromising the interests of the family. Read in my article on ways to save money.

• Creation of a "safety cushion"

So far, for many, including me, an emergency supply for a “rainy day” is an unattainable dream. But one must understand that this goal is one of the most important for the family. Agree that few people want to find themselves in poverty in the event of job loss or unforeseen large expenses. For these cases, and need a "safety cushion".

• Peace and quiet in the family

How often we hear from a husband that a wife spends too much money on clothes and coffee with her friends. And from his wife constant reproaches that the husband allows himself weekly trips to the bar, bowling, fishing, etc. Sound familiar? Maintaining a family budget will allow you to sort out income and expenses on the shelves, teach you how to save money and will always allow you to have money for what your soul asks for. It doesn't matter if it's a new dress or a fancy fishing rod.

Types of family budget

At the very beginning of family life, the question inevitably arises of who will be in charge of the distribution of finances, or, more simply, who will manage the family budget. And it's better not to postpone the solution of this issue, because the well-being of the family depends on it, I'm not afraid of this word.

What types of family budgets are there?

Joint

All the money earned by a husband and wife is put in one place, for example, in an envelope or a box. Each family member has the right to take the amount he needs for urgent needs. As a rule, large purchases are discussed at the family council and made together.

It should be noted that today the management of such a budget has become more complicated due to the widespread use of bank cards. I felt this for myself, because my family's budget is a common wallet. Therefore, now we are forced to switch to another type, which I do not really like.

Based on the existing long-term (more than 18 years) experience in maintaining a joint budget, I will tell you about the main principles on which it is based:

• a high degree of responsibility of both spouses in matters of spending;
• absolute trust in each other;
• constant control of expenses, so as not to end up at the empty bark ... of the envelope;
• obligatory discussion of large purchases;
• an atmosphere of mutual understanding and kindness, when neither spouse allows himself to reproach the other for the amount of earnings.

If even one of the principles is violated, then this type of financial control is not for you.

Separated

This type of budgeting, in my opinion, is the most common among people who have joined in a couple already being held financially. For example, remarriage or marriage at an older age. The peculiarity of this type is that each spouse has his own wallet. Husband and wife completely control only personal finances. Often spouses do not even know about the real amount of each other's income.

How, in this case, is the issue of payment resolved, for example, a joint trip to a restaurant or a trip on vacation, utility bills and child support? As a rule, the costs for these items are divided in half.

The principles of building a separate budget:

• the spouses are responsible only for their part of the budget;
• the ability to resolve possible conflicts in matters of payment of common expenses;
• Greater independence than with a joint budget in matters of control and accumulation;
• Greater freedom of action in matters of gifts and surprises for your soulmate.

One-man

A type of budget management in which all the money is concentrated in the hands of one person. He takes full responsibility for the control of income and expenses. This practice is suitable for families in which one of the spouses often succumbs to the temptation of spontaneous purchases, does not keep track of expenses and gets into debt.

Principles of sole ownership and management of money:

• one of the spouses bears moral and material responsibility not only for himself, but also for all family members;
• the second principle comes out of the first, it should be as organized and financially literate as possible;
• it is important to maintain a balance in the relationship so as not to constantly remind the other half of her position in the family.

Shared or separate, or maybe one-man? Advice in resolving this issue can only do harm. Answer it in a way that is best only for you, and not for your advisers.

Stages of maintaining a family budget

In the 1st section, I answered the question why you need to keep a family budget. And if I was able to convince you of the need to maintain it, then now is the time to move on to the question of how to keep the budget correctly.

I have identified 6 main stages:

Stage 1. Preparatory.

Before starting the planning and saving process, you should track all family income and expenses for several months. This can be done in a notebook, in an Excel spreadsheet, in special computer programs or in a mobile application. We will talk about the methods of budgeting a little below. The main principles to be followed at this stage are:

• a daily record of all receipts and expenses;
• allocation of costs to categories and subcategories;
• calculation at the end of the month of the totals for all sections in order to identify the most costly items;
• we make a table on income, do not forget about taking into account all sources of money.

How to distribute expenses and income? For example, in the table I have broken down my family's expenses into categories: utility bills, education, food + manufactured goods, transport, health, leisure, clothing, large purchases, and others. Each category also has subcategories.

Stage 2. Analysis of the collected data.

After 2 - 3 months of collecting the baseline data, analyze it. After all, you collected them for this? What expenses are obligatory for your family, and which ones can you refuse permanently (for example, smoking) or temporarily (for example, buying a new blouse every month)?

The more detailed you entered the expenses made into the table, the more accurate the analysis will be. This is necessary in order for you to reveal the hidden reserves of your family budget. These are the starting points from which you will build on in the next step.

Stage 3. Setting goals.

After you have conducted an analysis and identified reserves, you need to determine what you want to achieve in the near future or in the long term. The goals can be very different. For instance:

• saving money for vacation,
• buying a new refrigerator,
• preparation for a comfortable retirement, etc.

Stage 4. Development of strategy and tactics.

Perhaps the most difficult and crucial stage. On it, you must develop a strategy and tactics for maintaining a family budget that will help you achieve your goals.

Here you must clearly state, in as much detail as possible, your actions. For example, there is a goal - to save up money for vacation in the amount of 70,000 rubles. There are 7 months left before him. This means that every month you have to set aside 10,000 rubles.

You don't need to set unattainable goals. Buy a secluded island in the ocean with an average monthly income of 50,000 rubles. - you are unlikely to be able to. But to go there for the holidays is quite.

I am often asked by work colleagues, how can I go on vacation abroad 2 times a year with the same income as theirs? They cannot afford this. I have already ceased to explain anything to them, they do not hear and do not want to hear. And here I will answer.

Yes I love to travel. This is the passion of my whole life, and I have infected my whole family with it. Therefore, we have one goal for the year - to conquer the next route. Neither me nor my husband have expensive cars, telephones, fur coats and jewelry. For me, all this is an empty phrase. With each amount earned, we save for the only thing that is of value to us - vivid emotions and impressions from trips, from acquaintance with a foreign culture, people, language. Keeping a family budget helps a lot.

If you want to increase your income, reduce your expenses. In my article on savings, I go into more detail on ways to reduce costs.

Stage 5. Planning the family budget for the month.

Here again we need a table, but in a more complicated version. Income and expenses should be additionally broken down into “Plan” and “Fact” columns. Remember the example of a goal - to accumulate 70,000 rubles. on vacation? We enter our contributions of 10,000 rubles. and all other compulsory expenses in the “Plan” column. We put down the actual values ​​and display deviations.

Example of a table for a month

The numbers in the table are conditional, for example. The result of our planning - we saved 14,200 rubles.

Stage 6. Analysis of the results.

At the end of the month, we must take stock. Compare the amounts according to the plan and in fact. On what items it was possible to save money, and on which ones the overruns were formed.

In our conditional example, at the end of the month we saved 14,200 rubles. Further, it is logical to resolve the issue with this "extra" money. What to do with them? Each family decides this in its own way. Someone will spend on the purchase of the necessary (or not so) things. Someone will put it aside for a deposit. Someone will take a walk in the restaurant. In any case, the choice is only yours. No advice is relevant here.

And then you need to create a new table for the next month. And our stages are repeated, except for the 1st and 2nd. The third stage can also be excluded if the goal was set for a long-term and is not achieved in one month.

Family budgeting methods

So far, we have talked with you about accounting for income and expenses in tabular form. We will consider where and how to create such tables in this section.

Bookkeeping on paper

Start a notebook or notebook, take a pen or pencil. This is the entire stationery kit for budgeting. You will need a calculator at the end of the month. I started doing home bookkeeping in this way, so from my own experience I will tell you about its pros and cons.

1. Free. Your costs are just paper and pen.
2. Accessible to all family members. Children or elderly people who are not computer literate can easily cope with tables on paper. At the end of the day, each family member can enter their costs in a notebook.
3. Use it anywhere. You can study the table in a car, on a bus on the way to work, on an airplane, on a train, or at a picnic. No computer needed, no internet needed.

1. All totals will have to be calculated manually. It takes a very long time.
2. It is very easy to miscalculate. Moreover, you may not find the error. We pressed the wrong number on the calculator and that's it ...

For example, I only had enough for 1 month of such budgeting. Since we recorded all expenses in detail, by the end of the reporting period we had 7 A4 pages covered.

Excel tables

This is the way to which sooner or later you will come to anyway. After a month, I transferred all my family bookkeeping to Excel.

1. Nice design. You can highlight income and expenses with different colors, fill the entire table or individual cells.
2. Automatic calculation of totals. Set up all the necessary formulas so that when you add the next amount, the totals are recalculated.
3. Graphical analytics. Excel has many options for building pie and bar charts. You can visually see which expenses in your budget have the largest share, and you can make adjustments for the next month.
4. Internet access is not required.

1. You need computer skills, in general, and Excel, in particular. This may be beyond the power of older people or people who do not deal with computer programs and do not want to learn how to do it.
2. The ability to maintain a budget only if you have access to a computer. If you are afraid to forget about the expenses made during the day, it is convenient to write them down in a notebook or phone. In the evening, transfer all the recordings to your computer.

Google Sheets

Another great way to manage your budget is Google Sheets. Those who are familiar with Excel will have no difficulty in understanding these tables. The feature set and interface are very similar. But there are a number of undeniable advantages:

• filling in tables online, you do not need to save anything, everything happens automatically;
• in the event of a computer breakdown, all tables will be saved and you can easily access them;
• all family members can take part in filling out the tables from any device and at any time convenient for them.

For now, I decided to stay on this method. We need to get our hands on it and teach family members to take into account their expenses and incomes every day. In a couple of months I will move on to the next method - special programs and mobile applications.

Special programs and applications for family bookkeeping

Collecting material for writing this article, I was so carried away by the topic that I immediately caught fire to keep a budget in a special program on a computer and in a mobile application. And here a surprise awaited me. There were not many of them, but very many. Which one to choose? So far, this process is at the testing stage, but I have already highlighted some of the main principles:

1. It must be a program adapted for both the computer and the phone. In this case, you can conduct accounting anywhere.
2. Synchronization between computer and mobile versions.
3. Free or shareware. If you don't need many of the features offered by the developers, then there is no point in overpaying.
4. Intuitive interface.

But I'll tell you about the most popular programs. In my opinion, it is important to be able to use the same program both on a smartphone and on a computer (or tablet). This increases mobility - you can fill out spreadsheets, plan and view reports at home, in the car or on vacation.

Let's see what the developers offer us:

1. Alzex Finance (formerly Personal Finances).

Peculiarities:

• income and expenses are divided into categories;
• multicurrency (all currencies of the world) + precious metals;
• generation of reports;
• the program is easy for beginners to learn;
• free and paid versions.

2. DrebeDengi.

Peculiarities:

• there is a demo version to get acquainted with the program;
• the ability to conduct offline and synchronize with applications for iPhone, Android, Windows OS;
• the ability to manage the family budget by several family members;
• data export to Excel;
• cost formation plan / fact;
• generation of reports;
• processing SMS from banks, taking photos of checks and saving them to the phone;
• free and paid versions.

3. Zen Mani.

Peculiarities:

• there is a demo version and a presentation for newbies to familiarize themselves;
• synchronization between a Windows computer and a mobile version (Android and iOS);
• planning income and expenses;
• the ability to manage the family budget by several family members;
• recognition of SMS from the bank;
• generating reports in the form of tables and graphs;
• free and paid versions.

4. EasyFinance.

Peculiarities:

• synchronization between a Windows computer and Android and iOS phones;
• fixing income and expenses, grouping by categories and subcategories;
• creation of templates for the most frequent operations;
• overrun alarm;
• planning income and expenses using forecasts and a planning wizard;
• the ability to manage the family budget by several family members;
• loading bank card transactions;
• charting for financial analysis;
• free and paid versions.

5. Online service Home budget.

Peculiarities:

• works both on a home computer and on a mobile;
• accounting in any currency of the world;
• breakdown of expenses by category and subcategory;
• planning, fixing and analyzing income and expenses in the form of graphs and reports;
• availability of a scheduler with a reminder function.

1. There is no need to independently compile analytical tables, enter formulas and build graphs. The developers have already taken care of this.
2. From the variety of programs, you can choose the one that suits all parameters.
3. You can pick up a free option.

1. In many popular programs, some of the functions are available for an additional fee.
2. Internet access may be required.
3. If you lose your phone or break your computer, all data may be lost.

Conclusion

The topic covered in this article is very important and interesting. I discovered a lot of new things for myself. I am sure that an enterprise without proper planning, organization, management and control will not be able to function effectively. At the beginning of the article, we found out that a family is a small business. Therefore, the same principles apply to it as to any other enterprise.

You don't have to be an economist or financier to learn how to manage a family budget. This is quite an exciting activity, which also has practical benefits. We improve financial literacy, learn to save and save. Agree that a few minutes every day is worth it to put things in order once and for all in your wallet and in your head.

I invite you also, and you will regularly receive author's, useful articles in which we will discuss issues concerning each of us.

Family budgeting is one of the foundations of managing personal finances and achieving financial well-being.

What is it for?

1. Determine the amount of money that you can not spend on your current life, but use to achieve your goals and financial independence (financial freedom).
2. Provide living comfort so that money does not slip through your fingers, but is spent on something important and necessary.

Everyone knows that it needs to be planned, but few do it.

Why don't people plan their family budget?

In our opinion, there are two reasons.

The first is the wrong attitude towards him.

The second is that the process of planning a family budget becomes more complicated.

For many, competent management of personal finances is associated with the need to save a lot, to deprive themselves of the pleasures of life. This is a big mistake.

In fact, the quality of life should improve. How does this happen?

The point is, most people are wasted. For example, the abuse of energy drinks, frequent meals in cafes, overpayments for goods and services that could be cheaper (clothes, mobile communications, etc.), impulsive purchases. Refusing them will not in any way reduce the comfort of life.

But with what pleasure you can redirect part of the saved money to something really important for you: personal care, leisure, hobbies, gifts to family and friends.

As you can see, this is not about total cost cuts, but about prioritization. This family budgeting will improve the quality of life without the need to earn more.

It turns out that the family budget is a faithful watchdog that protects your life comfort and your plans for the future.

Family budget table

There are programs that calculate expenses in monetary terms and in kind, up to the grams of onions that you ate in a month.

Such detailing does not provide any benefit, but takes a lot of time and effort. In the end, it gets boring.

Therefore, install the application on your phone about keeping a budget, which indicates the main items of income and expenses: groceries, dining out, communication costs, transport, clothes and shoes, etc.

Let's be honest with ourselves, planning your personal budget is not the most interesting thing in life. You need to devote to it exactly as much time as necessary. Therefore, a minimum of effort is a maximum of results.

A person receives a salary, makes expenses, and saves only the money that remains at the end of the month. But there will always be very "important" and "urgent" needs, which will spend the remaining money. This is the wrong approach.

It is much easier to postpone the amount that you planned to use to create personal capital immediately after receiving your salary, and spend the remaining money calmly. We are moving towards the goal, we create planned savings, therefore we spend money with comfort and

Family budget and family expenses

Some people are embarrassed to save: how will they think of them if they ask for a discount or are outraged by the high cost of goods. In fact, the rich are not afraid of the evaluations of others. They know the value of money.

How much is one hour of your life worth? Let's assume that your salary is 60,000 rubles. with a standard work schedule of 176 hours per month. It turns out that one hour of your life costs 340 rubles.

If 20% of your income is slipping through your fingers, then 35 hours of your precious life, or almost one working week, is thrown into the air.

Just think, you could rest for a whole week and still not lose the comfort of life.

Will you now hesitate to ask for the quality of the services provided to you or ask for a discount? We hope not.

For example, for the sake of economy, a person rides a bus, and not a minibus, while experiencing discomfort and negative emotions associated with it. Then he "breaks down" and overpays an extra couple of thousand in a restaurant. There is no real cost reduction, but the negative experience remains.

Therefore, do not try to save too much on trifles. Analyze the largest items of your expenses and reduce them without losing comfort for life. Here Pareto's law applies: 20% of efforts give 80% of the result and vice versa.

Maintaining a family budget is not difficult!

Moreover, family budget planning can ensure a comfortable life and financial well-being. All you need to do is organize its planning in a convenient way and enjoy the positive results. This is how money becomes an ally and begins to work for a person.

Family budget and expenses

How to arrive at optimal costs.There are two approaches.

The first is for people with strong willpower and inner discipline.At the beginning of the first month, you draw up a spending plan, roughly estimating where and how much money you need to spend. Then you live according to this plan for a month. If you didn't have enough money for something, you can't give yourself slack and spend more.

You need to “enjoy” the consequences of your decisions as much as possible, deny yourself something. This is very sobering and your plan will be more accurate for the next month. And of course, do not forget to postpone immediately after receiving your salary.

The second option is suitable for people with less developed willpower, i.e. for everyone else.

The first month you just write down where the money goes. At the end of the month, with a probability of 95%, you will be shocked by how you manage your personal finances. Many will ask themselves the question: "Where do I find so much money?"

When you have specific numbers, you can think about how to cut costs. For example, looking for a cheaper business lunch or connecting an economical phone tariff, reading an interesting book on some weekend instead of having fun in a nightclub, etc. In the end, in 3-4 months you will come to optimal costs.

How to dispose of the increase in salary?

Suppose you are used to living on 40,000 rubles a month, at least 4,000 are spent on achieving goals and the remaining 36,000 are spent. Your salary has been increased by 5,000 rubles. What will the majority do in such a situation? Will increase costs by this entire amount. But you are used to living on 36,000 rubles. Even 2,500 rubles in addition to expenses will allow you to spend more. But the process of accumulating capital for your purposes will go much faster when the monthly invested amount will no longer be 4,000, but as much as 6,500 rubles. And so on with all the additional income.

Rich people are what they earn, and the difference should be directed to the creation and growth of capital. You should follow their example.

Last update: 01-08-2017

Volatile income

It is better not to take into account, because are not permanent, not predictable.

For example... The majority receive tax deductions for several years. They plan their expenses based on the receipt of a certain amount once a year, but sooner or later it will end and then you will have to cut spending.

In this case, it is better to send money to create a safety cushion or early repayment of the mortgage.

But that's not all.

It is not enough to distribute money, you still need to control how it is spent. This will ultimately save the family budget.

3 tips for making it easier to control costs:

1. Create a file in Excel with all income and expenses and fill it daily ().
2. After a certain amount of money has been allocated for each category,you need to divide them into 4 weeks... On a shorter time frame, it is easier to keep track of when the category budget is approaching the designated border and cut costs so as not to go out of the frame.
3. Record expenses best every day and not count on your memory.

Immediately I foresee an objection:

“Why write down expenses every day, if we have already allocated where and how much we will spend? And so I remember! "

An example from personal experience

Although the expenses are of the same type, it happens that I get lost and start remembering at the end of the week how much and where I spent. As a result, the category " unreported expenses"(I bring in here those expenses that I cannot remember where I spent, so that there are no inaccuracies), you have to write down up to 20% of the allocated budget of other categories.

20% is a significant discrepancy

And one more thing, I have been keeping track of expenses for the fourth year already, so I know how much and when I spent the money. This information is very useful if you want to save money because it becomes clear where you can reduce costs or predict spending.

Step number 3 - Table of the family budget with expenses for the month

It is convenient to take intervals of a week, month and year. The weekly and monthly intervals allow you to control running costs, and the annual interval allows you to take into account non-fixed costs (holidays, birthdays, vacations, etc.).

2 principles of adding cost categories:

• there are expenses for which we want to track - we single out them in a separate category
• we want to get detailed information - we divide categories into subcategories

Below is a detailed table of costs.

A table with expenses has been drawn up. If there is no category, then add it.

Step # 4 - Create a Financial Safety Cushion

Once again I will draw your attention to these points.

Financial airbag - if there is no money in reserve, then you can get into a difficult situation - this is a risk.

Therefore, first of all, 5-10% of the salary should be directed to creating a stock, which will allow you to live without any sources of income. A stock for a couple of months will allow you to survive the dismissal, a stock for half a year will allow you to survive a protracted illness.

• Financial independence - additional income can be spent on entertainment / shopping or deposited in a bank account. A more convenient tool is