A little now can go a long way Budgeting A little now can go a long way
The Process Step 1: Assess your personal and financial situation (needs, values, life situation). Step 2: Set personal and financial goals. Step 3: Create a budget for fixed and variable expenses based on projected income. Step 4: Monitor current spending (saving, investing) patterns. Step 5: Compare your budget to what you have actually spent. Step 6: Review financial progress and revise budgeted amounts.
The Situation (Step 1) What do you have? Income Assets Savings Wage Income, Schedule C income Other Income: rent, investments, retirement fund(s) Assets Home (is this really an asset?) Rental Property, other Real Estate Savings Collections: art, antiques, bottle caps Investment Portfolio (long term savings, retirement) Vehicles: Auto, Boat, Motorcycle,
The Situation (Step 1) What do you owe? Mortgage/Rent Car Payment(s) Credit Card Debt Other Debt Tuition/School Loans Boat Loan Home Equity Loan
Cash flow What is your burn rate? The Situation (Step 1) Cash flow What is your burn rate? Above water Treading water Sinking
Set Goals (Step 2) Well-written personal and financial goals SHOULD: Be realistic A student working part-time is not likely to be able to afford a new car every few years. Be stated in specifics “I plan/want to save $5,000 for a down payment to buy a house.” Have a time frame “I plan/want to pay off my credit card within the next 18 months.” State the action to be taken “I plan/want to start an automatic deposit savings account with monthly withdrawals from my checking account.”
Create a Budget (Step 3) Pop Quiz
A few useful pieces of information: Create a Budget (Step 3) A few useful pieces of information: Get a baseline of what the job you want pays. http://cew.georgetown.edu/whatsitworth/ http://salaries-job-industry.findthedata.org/ http://www.careerbuilder.com/ - PA State Income Tax = 3.07% Federal Tax Calculator - http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm For the sake of this exercise, Taxable Income = Total Income – (Retirement Savings + Health Insurance Premiums + Property Tax + Mortgage Interest Payments)