You can use a pencil and paper, standard spreadsheet software, or specialized budget software. Software may make it easier to calculate and alter as necessary, but you may also find it convenient to write your budget out and keep it by your checkbook or credit card to serve as a constant reminder.  One of the best things about using software, such as a spreadsheet, to map out your budget is that you can play "what if." In other words, you can see what would happen to your budget if your monthly mortgage increased $50 per month by just plugging the new number into your "Mortgage" value. The software should tally everything up immediately and give you an idea of how much of a dent that increase would put in your discretionary spending. Bank of America offers a spreadsheet template that you can download for free. Separate your budget into two basic sections: income and expenses. Fill in each section with the information as you calculated it above, marking down a separate entry for each individual source of income as well as each expense.  Calculate two totals for the "income" section. For the first, add together all the new income you bring in each month. For the second, add everything together, including the money you have saved in accounts. Calculate three totals for the "expenses" section. For the first, add together your fixed expenses, including debt payments. Fixed expenses are also considered essential or necessities, even though some, like food, vary each month. Generally, a person doesn't have a lot of leeway in these expenses. For the second, add together variable or nonessential expenses where you have some control over the amount spent, such as eating out or entertainment. For the third, calculate your total expenses by adding together the two other categories. In order to save money, you must have a positive difference. In order to break even, the two totals must balance each other out. For example, if your total expenses are $3,300 per month and your monthly income is $4,000 per month, then the difference is $4,000 - $3,300 or $700 per month. If you subtract your total expenses from your new income and come up with a negative difference, go into your alterable expenses and make adjustments. Non-necessities, such as games and clothes, are the easiest amounts to subtract from. Keep altering until you come up with an amount that allows you to either break even or save money. Ideally, your income should exceed your expenses and not just break even. There will always be expenses that you didn't account for. That's just an immutable law of the universe. Occasionally exceeding your new income only means that your savings will dwindle. While you can do so from time to time if needed, you should not make a monthly habit of it. Your total income, however, also includes your savings, so if you exceed it, you will go into debt. Place it near your checkbook or in a special file folder kept for budgeting purposes. An electronic copy is good to have, as well, but a hard copy will remain even if something nefarious happens to your computer and erases the file.
حدد كيف تريد متابعة ميزانيتك. نظم الميزانية. اطرح نفقاتك الإجمالية من دخلك الجديد. قم بالتعديلات. حاول ألا تسمح لنفقاتك الإجمالي بتخطي دخلك الإجمالي. احتفظ بنسخة ورقية من الميزانية.