how to create a budget

I believe that cash flow is one of the most powerful concepts in personal finance. People tends to know how they feel about their personal finance — e.g., whether they are comfortable or are struggling. Unfortunately, not too many people truly understand cash flow and how important it is to your finances. When you understand [...]

If you read enough personal finance blogs, you’ll see a common theme and the number one answer to your financial dilemma — “Spend Less than You Earn”. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done, otherwise, we wouldn’t have this rampant debt problem in our society. Fortunately, I went through this myself, and over the years, I’ve [...]

I disagree with the common assumption that buying a house will be your biggest financial decision. I believe your choice of a marriage partner will be your single biggest financial decision.  Besides, who do you think is going to help you make the house decision? Therefore, make your spouse decision carefully.  The reasons go far, [...]

Just like a runner must run, I believe those who are financially fit must budget. Your budget might look different than another person’s budget.  Someone might have a complex computer system and another might use a simple pen and paper system.  But, to thrive financially you must have a sense of what you want to [...]

The best way to save on shopping is to get it under control: start counting money and planning your purchases. This is hard and (as many will say) makes shopping less fun but with the tools I am sharing today your holiday shopping experience can still be enjoyable .
1. Plan your shopping with online productivity [...]

PocketSmith is an online personal finance management tool with some unique features. It features a calendar that allows you to add events, multiple calendars, and forecasts how much cash you will have over the next year. Like other personal finance or budgeting sites, you upload transactions to the site from various accounts and are able [...]

A computer these days is almost a necessity for everyone, and an expensive necessity at that. Whether for fun or for work, it is not uncommon to see multiple computers in a household. More and more people are even purchasing laptops for their size and convenience. Purchasing a computer can be tricky and intimidating with [...]

There are less than two months until Christmas — do you have a plan for holiday spending yet? Some people have already finished their holiday shopping. Others have been diligently saving all year long. Still others might be dreading the upcoming holiday season because of the cash outlay it usually involves. If you fall into [...]

We’ve all heard the stories of lotto winners who win millions, think they’re set for life, and then go broke within a decade. Or people who inherit large sums of money and end up in financial ruin, family feuds, or both. The word “windfall” can mean different things to different people — if you’re young [...]

At least quarterly, Mr. B and I try to take a look at our budget. How is it (or isn’t it) working? Since we are considering buying a house, we have also been looking for ways to slice our budget without bleeding. From out experience, here are some tips on how to create a budget.
Four [...]