Almost every young family, faced with financial issues, begins to be interested in the concept of a family budget. Someone is adopting a model of financial management from their parents, and someone is trying to create their own system. However, many generally do not know such a thing as a family budget. What is the family budget and why is it needed - this will be discussed in this article.
General concept
One of the main points of a marriage is the accumulation of funds and the ability to use them correctly. Moreover, it does not matter what level of income, because the lack of a competent distribution of money can even turn a millionaire into a person with an average income level. Thus, the concept of a family budget includes a complete list of all income and expenses for a certain period of time. Usually this period is equal to one month. At the end of the period, an analysis of the receipts and expenditures of cash is carried out in order to calculate unnecessary expenses in order to find a way of accumulation. Summing up, the couple learns to follow the financial plan in order to achieve monetary wealth. Regardless of the salary of each family and financial wealth, each cell of society can learn to treat your wallet meaningfully. Doing home accounting has the principle of the same action by which the economy is created. The family budget is not much different from it, and knowledge of its basics will be useful not only to a young family, but also to everyone who wants to learn financial literacy. Having learned about all its advantages, it will be difficult not to try such a system of keeping finances at home.
How to create?
The components of the family budget are closely interconnected. That is why a change in one category entails a change in the entire planning system.
First of all, you need to be realistic. To do this, the amount received should be divided into several parts. For example, one part goes for utility bills, another for groceries, a third for clothes and so on. Having distributed the total amount of all income received per month, you can understand where the money goes. Having identified the most priority categories of expenses, it is worth analyzing them carefully. Suppose you can spend less on entertainment, thereby saving the money saved in the “Savings” section. Thus, it becomes clear with a good example how to distribute the family budget. To make it easier to calculate costs, you need to have several envelopes, each signed. During the month, you can observe where else there is stock, and where financial resources are already running out. This method allows you to perfectly control the expenses of the family budget.
In addition to savings, funds must be invested. This can be a regular deposit account. Financial resources are gradually depreciating, so they should be invested in something. Accrued interest on a bank account can be an excellent alternative to investment deposits in expensive metals. Naturally, there are few families who can invest in real estate and other assets, but deposits are currently available to everyone. That is why you should replenish your bank account every month, even in small amounts. Perhaps someone will put aside children for schooling, and in 10-15 years, insignificant contributions will turn into good capital for a prestigious educational institution.
Who is in charge?
From the very name "family budget" is clear: there are no major ones. In the personal planning of their funds, the leader is the one who earns them. In this case, both parties are responsible for the accumulation of funds and for their spending, respectively. Asking the question: “Family budget - what is it and for whom is it needed?”, One can not even doubt the correctness of the subsequent answer. The concept carries the meaning of the preservation of family values, not only materially, but also spiritually. Creating something in common, the couple becomes stronger and doubly responsible for their actions. Therefore, there is no main category, everyone has the right to maintain and adjust the family budget. Income and expenses should equally fall on the shoulders of both spouses. Then a mutual responsibility will appear in the family and the issue of instant spending of wages will be decided by itself.
Having decided that both spouses are involved in maintaining the family budget, it is necessary to draw up a further plan that answers the questions: what is needed, what is needed, what do we want? After that, you should track your expenses for three to four months. Only then will it become clear in which direction it is necessary to move on.
There is general management of home accounting, but there is a separate one, that is, each spouse makes expenses from her salary at her discretion, but the free funds are added to the common piggy bank for the implementation of joint goals. It is necessary to determine the type of budget before creating it. If it is separate, then the costs must be divided in half. For example, someone pays for utilities, while someone buys products. This applies to all graphs, so responsibility must lie individually.
Family budget planning
As mentioned above, it is necessary to draw up a monthly plan for the distribution of income and expenses. In order to know how to plan a family budget, you must first decide on shared goals and desires. Sometimes disputes and disagreements may arise. Not always buying a certain thing is necessary for both family members. That is why, before writing the items of expenditure, you should decide on them. Next, you need to highlight priority items and everyday spending. To save up for the purchase of a large thing, you need to save a part of wages on it. If there is not enough money, then some points of expenditure should be reduced. At first glance, it seems that planning a budget is difficult. In fact, over time, a certain perception of things will form, when it becomes possible to understand that some thing is absolutely not needed and you can save on it. So a person learns to deny himself the extra pleasures that only empty the wallet and do not bring anything useful.
As you can see, there are many answers about the benefits for those who want to build a family budget. What is family planning really? This is the creation of joint long-term goals that only strengthen relationships and teach together to adequately relate to various values.
Combining their incomes, the couple will no longer be able to surprise each other, since the entire level of wages will be known and it will be distributed by day. If this fact confuses someone from the family, then you must first agree on your personal, pocket money.
Learning to save
Speaking of savings, it is necessary to adequately assess the family budget. Families who even relax on credit are simply obligated to take care of their financial literacy. It is necessary first of all to live according to your abilities. Some people, suffering from low self-esteem, try to increase it by buying expensive things in debt. They do not think about how then to repay these debts. It is better to refuse to purchase unnecessary trinkets for several months, and then, having accumulated a certain amount, buy the item of your dreams. Thus, you do not have to overpay the extra interest on credit loans.
Also, you should always remember about what you have to save. Then you can quickly get your family budget in order. Family expenses will become meaningful, and the goal will be to spend less than you earn. Of course, this does not mean that you need to deny yourself everything and everywhere, just spending needs to be analyzed.
There are models of conducting home financial control when one person works, and the other is on its content. Naturally, the spouse who does not work should adequately relate to his expenses and desires. This applies not only to those families where the income level is good, but also to those where there is insufficient money. Priority and minor things should be highlighted.
Income and expenses
The profit of the family consists of two wages of the spouses. It is important to take into account all income, including bonuses, and premiums. This is the only way to correctly draw up a family budget. The income and expenses of the family are so carefully planned that it allows you to carefully control the movement of funds during the month. If for someone this seems too complicated, then you can simplify the task. For example, you can calculate food costs by storing checks from supermarkets. On a certain day (preferably at the beginning of the month), you should calculate the amount of checks and write in the "Expenses" column. The same goes for clothes. Entertainment may not be able to be controlled this way, but it is worth getting a special envelope for this item and putting the required amount into it.
Answering the question: “Family budget - what is it and how to plan it?”, You can get an answer from the monthly control of your financial resources. Even without special knowledge, you can understand where the money goes.
It is most convenient to use special programs created for home accounting. Today on the Internet there are a large number of them.
The benefits of the family budget
Doing home accounting gives a clear answer to the questions: where does the money come from and where does it go? Just starting to count your income and expenses, you can understand why this is necessary. With the advent of new desires, it becomes clear how to distribute the family budget. The need to save money appears by itself when it becomes clear that all the wages are not enough to buy the desired. Then home financial control comes to the rescue.
The benefit of the family budget also lies in the fact that a person becomes more confident in their abilities, a sense of control and self-organization develops. Spouses also learn not only to uselessly spend free money, but also how to plan a family budget. Banal quarrels regarding financial matters cease. Thus, the benefits of home accounting are undeniable. Every family who wants a stable well-being should introduce a similar system into their life, and this should not depend on the level of income. Money is one of the most significant aspects in life and should always be under the control of a person.
Sometimes disputes arise over the different wages of spouses. Here you can find the benefits. One of the spouses will feel much more comfortable when his income level becomes average, that is, after the amount of salaries is divided into two, they will become equal. Of course, you also need to spend money equally, otherwise misunderstandings may arise.
The right family budget
Before creating your own family bookkeeping, you need to understand that the priorities and desires of both spouses coincide at least in some way. You should decide on the purchase of large purchases. It is also worth determining the period during which they must be purchased. As mentioned above, the components of the family budget are primarily income and expenses, then reserves and investment capital can be allocated.
Thus, in addition to the usual expenses and receipts, there should be accumulative funds that will act as a “safety cushion”. When there are such reserves, the family feels much more confident and calmer.
Having learned tips on how to save your family budget, you can begin to save 5-10% of your salary every month. After a while, this amount will already be an impressive amount, this will allow us to further plan purchases and form goals. Those funds that remain after all payments under the obligatory budget columns are called free. You can dispose of them at your discretion, but do not forget about your goals. It is the goals that serve as the main constraint on the path to meaningless shopping.
Large purchases
Some look with surprise at those families that receive average wages, but at the same time constantly go on vacation and make expensive purchases. How do they do it? It's all about the proper conduct of home accounting. Having distributed all the revenues and competently organizing your budget, you can safely set goals. And they really are becoming achievable.
Borrowed people are constantly under stress. By purchasing expensive things on credit, they fall into a debt hole. All these emotional purchases not only make you spend much more money, but also constantly worry about your solvency. And if something unexpected happens and there is nothing to pay on loans? That is why borrowing money should only be done if a thing is purchased for a living (for example, a truck for freight). You can also take a cash loan to expand the business or to open it. But not for the acquisition of any jewelry or the same household appliances that do not pay for themselves, but only grow old with time.
Getting a large amount of money, do not try to spend it right away. It is known that human psychology is so arranged that he tries to spend more than he receives. He always lacks something. Therefore, having learned to control our desires and emotions, it will turn out to manage our capital, which will soon lead to a stable well-being.
Useful Tips
To save a family budget, you need to know some tricks. For example, some people like to eat in a cafe. Of course, not everyone is convenient to get home at lunchtime, but when you buy food in catering establishments, you spend a decent amount on this for a month. Therefore, in order not to expose the wallet to unnecessary expenses, it would be better to take food with you to work or dine at home. Naturally, sometimes you have to have a bite to eat in a cafe, but this should be a budget option. Do not order gourmet dishes, thinking that this happens quite rarely. So it will not work to save the family piggy bank and plan the family budget correctly. Revenues must exceed expenses - do not forget this principle.
A person who cannot afford to buy expensive and high-quality items can become even poorer. This is explained by the fact that, when buying cheap clothes, poor-quality furniture and equipment, you have to do it much more often. That is, these purchases have a short lifespan, and they have to be replaced by the following, equally short-lived. That is why, in order to save and accumulate money, it is necessary to purchase only high-quality things, even if it will be less common. This applies to everything: clothing, equipment, and even food.
Speaking of food, you should carefully study what pulls the wallet the most. For many families, the majority (namely 30%) goes for sweets. These products are not only harmful, but also undesirable. They can be replaced with fruits and vegetables. This will not only save the budget, but will also be healthier. The same goes for harmful foods such as chips, pistachios and soda. It is better to replace them with more wholesome and cheaper food. Perhaps at first it will be difficult to refuse tasty, but harmful dishes, but over time, the body will get used to healthy food, and home accounting will replenish with several thousand rubles.
Thus, maintaining a family budget should not be austerity for all spheres of life, but competent and thoughtful handling of money. Do not immediately abandon the above ideas, how to save the financial resources of the family. It’s better to try first and after a while it will become clear that this is actually a good system that allows you to build relationships with money.