1. Budgeting Methods Staying on Track A variety of methods are available for making sure you stay on track with your budget.

2. The Envelope System Simplest way is to label envelopes with each of your expense categories When you get money, distribute it among the envelopes When you need to spend money, withdraw cash from the appropriate envelope Note on each envelope when you withdraw or add cash Easy to see where you over or under spent

3. The Tally System Keep a tally of your spending categories and save receipts At the end of a day or week, enter the amounts on the receipts below the amount budgeted for each category

4. Checking Account Register Use a checking account register to track all your income and expenses as you write checks and withdraw money. A you spend cash, make a note of what and how much you spend in the payment/debit column Keep track of every dollar you spent

5. Budget Spreadsheet Use spreadsheet software (Excel) Create a worksheet with all your budget info Each time you receive or spend money, enter the amount in the appropriate cell for the category Update totals

6. Personal Finance Software Software programs can help you monitor your budget Can help you track money in various accounts Provide summaries of your loan and credit card balances.

7. The Living Budget Each element of your budget will change overtime – Income (salary) – Savings goals – Spending habits – **Updating your spending plan should become a regular part of your money management to keep pace with changes!