There is no need to convince anyone that money loves to be counted.no need. Even powerful states plan and control their budgets. A family is like a small state with its own wars, divisions of territories, population explosions and defaults. Therefore, for the successful existence of such a mini-state, economic stability is necessary. Prosperity, social well-being and the "international" position depend on it. And the question of how to manage a family budget is far from idle for each unit of society. Of course, family income and expenses will never reach the national scale, but economic laws operate the same everywhere. Therefore, planning a family budget is also subject to these laws. And violation of such a code is fraught with very unpleasant consequences, including an economic crisis and the collapse of the "state" itself. All families are divided into those that keep track of their income and expenses and those that prefer to live spontaneously. Moreover, the choice of financial policy for a family often does not depend at all on its level of well-being. Nevertheless, there are quite a few reasons why it is still necessary to manage a family budget.
Why conduct a family budget?
Home accounting disciplines and freesfrom the temptation of unjustified spending, stimulates savings and, as a result, allows you to increase your material well-being. In addition, there are other reasons for maintaining a family budget. What does the practice of keeping home accounting give us?
- Helps you achieve your goal faster
The undeniable advantage of planned family lifeeconomy - financial stability. When you set specific goals that entail specific monetary expenses, then, firstly, you achieve your goals much easier and faster, and secondly, you do not rack your brains over where to get the money to implement them. That is what they are planned expenses for, so that there is always money for them.
- Allows you to control costs
Uncontrolled spending of money never hurts anyonebrought to good. The best of the worst that can await you in this case is a suddenly empty wallet long before the next paycheck. The worst is a debt hole, which you will definitely fall into, since you need to live on something, and money does not appear by itself. Therefore, we immediately look for someone to borrow money from in order to somehow get by until payday. But we forget that we take other people's money and for a short time, and give our own and forever. And the result is a vicious circle and a constant lack of money.
- Enables sparing savings
Have you ever thought that it is possible to save money?practically without harming yourself and your family? It is clear that pleasant little things (like ice cream on the way home) are always necessary. But in such quantities as we allow ourselves? Once you start counting the money spent, you will simply be horrified by how many unnecessary purchases you make during the week (and even during one day!). Statistics say that such unnecessary and unjustified expenses make up about 20% of the family budget. That is, out of every thousand rubles, you simply throw away two hundred!
- Strengthens family relationships
It’s paradoxical, but a careful attitude towards money –an indicator of love for your loved ones. After all, how is true love expressed? In care. And what could be a more obvious manifestation of care than planned spending on family members? Joint planning promotes rapprochement, understanding, and careful attitude to the needs of all household members.
- Guarantees funds for unforeseen expenses
Planning your expenses and income will give youthe ability to put money aside for a rainy day. For that very "rainy day" that sooner or later comes to everyone. Although unplanned expenses do not necessarily have to be associated with misfortunes or difficulties. In any case, knowing how to manage a family budget, you will be able to save a certain amount for such sudden expenses. So that such events will never take you by surprise.
- Allows you to decide on life priorities
It is precisely the management of the family budget that will allow youdetermine what is really important in your life. Perhaps, having calculated the amounts of money you spend on buying glamorous magazines and weekly updating of your nail polish collection, you will understand that over the past year you could have bought something more worthwhile for this amount. And the amount of money spent on cigarettes and beer will make you understand why you still haven’t gotten around to renovating your hallway. In general, keeping a family budget will allow any family to gain financial independence (first of all, from their bad habits and empty spending). So whether or not to keep a family budget is no longer a question. The question is: how to keep a family budget correctly?
Forms of the family budget
Before starting financial control andplanning your family budget, decide on its form. You have three possible options: a joint budget, a separate budget, or a partially joint budget.
- Total budget
The most traditional and still the most correct(according to many) the form of family budget. This is the option when the husband gives his entire salary to his wife (the opposite rarely happens), and she manages this money, adding her own salary to it. The other half has to be content with the amounts allocated by the spouse for travel and lunch. And then she pouts resentfully: where are the flowers for the Eighth of March and the perfume for the wedding anniversary. What is a loving husband forced to do? That's right, he is forced to make stashes and, starting with these little things, deceive his dear half. If by the end of the month the money suddenly runs out, then she will have to listen to reproaches for unreasonable spending of money and inability to manage the family budget. So judge for yourself: the form seems to be correct, but not the most effective and fair. Although, adherents of precisely such relationships can quite competently manage the family budget without damaging the favorable psychological atmosphere in the family.
- Separate budget
A very popular form of family budget amongyoung couples. This form is dictated by modern conditions, modern lifestyle and modern relationships. And despite the fact that the older generation condemns this model of forming a family budget, young people prefer it. However, this model is good when both husband and wife work (or have their own source of income). General family expenses are divided equally or proportionally to the income of the spouses: one pays for an apartment, the other buys food, and so on. The spouses spend the remaining money at their own discretion. However, when a small child appears in the family and the woman sits at home, this model of forming a family budget turns out to be inappropriate. It is also impossible to maintain a separate budget in the case when one of the spouses simply does not have an income for some other reason.
- Partially total budget
A compromise form of family budget.Not all the money earned by the spouses goes into the common piggy bank, but only a large part of it (about seventy percent). The rest of the money is left to satisfy personal interests. Or a slightly different version of a partially common family budget. All the main expenses are borne by the one who earns more, for example, the husband. And the wife's salary (small) is put aside for a summer vacation or some major purchase. At the same time, the wife can very well spend some of these funds on pleasant little things for herself. And, by the way, in this form of family budget, unpaid work around the house as a cook, laundress and cleaner should be taken into account. That is, the wife contributes to the family budget not with money, but with deeds.
Ways to manage the family budget
Having decided on the model for forming yourfamily budget, you need to choose a method for keeping it. Here you have little choice. The accounting principle is one: recording income and expenses, planning and summing up. With proper management of the family budget, it would not hurt to also have a financial analysis, which allows you to identify unnecessary and unjustified expenses, choose a way to save money and predict profits. Sounds too scientific? Do not be afraid: everything is not as scary as it may seem. First, decide on the tools of home accounting. You can start a special notebook (ledger) and a calculator, but you can also use a computer. Firstly, the spreadsheet editor Microsoft Office Excel will allow you to successfully keep home accounting. By the way, a good reason to master this program if you do not yet know how to work in it. Secondly, you can use free home accounting programs or special online Internet services. You will only have to fill in the appropriate income and expense items, and the program itself will calculate everything. After the first two or three months of keeping your home bookkeeping, you will understand how to correctly calculate expenses, save money and plan savings.
How to conduct housekeeping accounts?
There is nothing wrong with how to manage a family budget.There is nothing complicated. You have a total family income, which consists of the money earned by the husband and wife, as well as all sorts of bonuses, cash gifts, interest from deposits and other sources of income. In addition, you have expense items that can be divided into mandatory, optional and unplanned. By the way (as we have already said above), home accounting allows you to plan unplanned expenses, that is, have certain funds for unexpected expenses. The amount set aside for mandatory expenses is usually known and stable until utility rates and prices for goods rise. You will inevitably spend this amount, so it should be immediately subtracted from the total income. But you can already "conjure" with the remainder. So, we calculate the family income for the month. Now we add up all the mandatory payments: utilities, loan payments, tuition or kindergarten fees, and so on. Now we subtract this amount from the income item and get the remainder. The remainder also needs to be planned. This amount should be distributed among the following main expense items:
Naturally, the lion's share of your expenseswill be the purchase of food and household items. In general, economists advise distributing family income as follows: 50% - necessary needs, 30% - optional but desirable expenses, 20% - emergency reserve or savings.
How to plan and account for expenses?
Divide all income in half.One half of the budget should go to mandatory payments and essential food products. The amount of mandatory payments should be planned by you from the very beginning and immediately deducted from this half. In addition to rent and loan payments, include in this expense item, for example, the payment for a garage or a summer house, children's music school (sports section) or kindergarten, Internet payments and funds deposited into a mobile phone account. That is, this item includes all the payments that you simply must make. If the amount of payments exceeds half of your family budget, then you will have to plan new ways to increase your income or reduce the amount of these payments (registration of subsidies for rent, for example). Although in this case, most likely, you will have to save on food or other purchases. The remainder of the first half of the budget will be the item for food expenses. Divide the expenses on food by weeks. Here also include the money needed for lunch at work or at school, as well as food for pets (they are also family members). With proper management of the family budget, you should not spend more money on food than you planned. If at the end of the week there is money left for this expense item, you can add the remainder to the amount for the next week (and allow yourself something extra) or write it down to the emergency fund or savings. Expenditures on necessary household items should also be planned (the same thirty percent). Take into account all purchases, all the money spent on travel, going to a cafe or visiting a swimming pool or hairdresser, the cost of purchased medicines. Again, competent home accounting will allow you to plan and spend money on this expense item in proportion to your income. The emergency fund and savings are the money that you have left after paying for all services, buying food, clothes and household items. But what if there is no money left? This cannot happen. After all, you are planning your family budget, distributing expenses according to your income. This is the main advantage of a planned family economy. By the way, you can replenish these expense items thanks to competent and painless saving.
How to save the family budget?
Let's start with the fact that you can start saving withthe main expense item – utility bills. Of course, you won’t be able to reduce your rent, but it’s quite possible to pay less for gas and water. Install meters. Believe me, the cost of their installation will pay off very quickly, and you will have to pay much less for gas and water. Or, for example, a home phone. How much do you talk on it? Maybe you should give up your landline phone altogether or at least change your tariff? Saving on food. At first glance, such savings look, at least, blasphemous. However, there is nothing reprehensible in this. For example, a list of necessary products made before going to the store will allow you to save. Comparing prices on the same products in different stores, discounts at the end of the day or promotions, shopping at a wholesale market or in an economy store will allow you to save without compromising the quality and quantity of your home menu. The same applies to other purchases. If your goal is to save your family budget, then do not hesitate to track sales and compare prices. There is no point in overpaying for a branded item sold in a boutique in the city center, if the same thing is sold cheaper in another store. Expensive furniture or household appliances can also be purchased at a discount. The money saved will just replenish the budget item of savings. And even if the replenishment of this item will not be large right away, but five hundred rubles, put aside every month, in six months will turn into three thousand (and that is already something). And do not give in to the temptation to take money from the emergency reserve. That is why it is emergency, to help you out at the right moment. Otherwise, such a moment will definitely come when you have nothing in the emergency reserve. If you begin to control your expenses, if you know how to properly manage the family budget, you will be able to avoid many unpleasant situations associated with a lack of money. Do not forget that it is not money that should determine your wealth, but the ability to manage it correctly. Take the first step: the road is mastered by the one walking. We recommend reading:
