Ballin’ On A Budget.

Grocery prices are HIGH.

Gas prices are through the ROOF.

And let’s not talk about the cost of a new home.

Inflation is here, and I don’t know about you, but my finances are all out of wack.

Why can’t I just wake up one day, extremely wealthy with NO BILLS & NO DEBT?

I know, wishful thinking, but a girl can dream right?

Ok. Ok. No more dreaming; it’s time to face reality. We have debt, and unfortunately it’s not going to just disappear into thin air. We have to learn how to manage, or how I like to say, “Ball on a budget.” And let me let you in on a secret, there are online resources and apps that will make your budgeting life a lot easier. But, before we get into the details, let’s understand exactly what budgeting means.

What is a budget?

According to our friends at WikiPedia, a budget is the “sum of finances allocated for a particular purpose and the summary of intended expenditures along with proposals for how to meet them.” I know, that’s a very convoluted definition. So, let me break it down for you my way. A budget, is a written plan that details the amount of money you receive (“Payday”), the money you spend for expenses (“Bills”), and what you have left over (“Fun Money”). So, for an example, let’s say this month I made $2500 from my part-time job (“Payday.) I also have, $300 student loan payment, a $127 phone bill, and a $237 car note (“Bills”). After subtracting my bills from the money I made from my job, I have $1836 of FUN MONEY. I can get my nails done, go to the movies, put gas in my car, and most importantly SAVE for a rainy day. Make sense? I hope so. Now let’s address why this is important.

Why is budgeting important?

Think about your next large purchase, will it be a car? a motorcycle? a house? a boat? a luxury bag? Whatever your heart desires, a budget can help you save for your next big purchase.

Not only that, budgeting can also help prevent you from biting off more than you can chew. A budget forces you to come face to face with your finances and ask yourself the really hard questions, like, “Can I really afford this new laptop, or can this purchase wait.”

Whether you’re saving to treat yourself, or saving for a rainy day, there are countless resources available to help you along the way.

5 Tools You Can Use to Budget

1. A Debt Calculator! According to DebtConsolidation.com, a debt calculator should be used to get a big picture of the amount of debt you owe, and how long it’ll take for you to pay it off. Alternatively, if you have a preferred payoff date, you can use the debt calculator to estimate your payment amount. Click here to learn more.
2. The Mint App. The Mint app is a personal favorite. You can sync your various bank accounts, and have all of your information in one place. There’s a fantastic alert feature that notifies you when you are over budget and when your bills are due. More importantly, it is FREE to use.
3. The HoneyDue App. The perfect app for Couples. Whether you are the over spending culprit, or it’s your significant other, the HoneyDue App can help you manage your finances together. Yes, I know what you’re thinking…there is an option for you to choose how much you would like to share with your partner.
4. Budget Templates. If you prefer to handwrite your budget, using a budget template may be more suitable for you. Google Sheets has a free monthly budget template. Find it here. You can also find thousands of templates on Etsy, find my personal fav here.
5. The Envelope System. I stumbled across the envelope system on TikTok. This budgeting method helped a couple pay off more than $100,00 in debt. It’s a really simple process that involves labeling envelopes with certain categories, learn more about it here.

I hope you find this article helpful. Use these resources so, you, too, can Ball On A Budget.