When it comes to security, budgeting for yourself can provide a sense of confidence regarding your spending habits. You can learn how to budget at any age – as soon as you start receiving and spending money, it is a good idea to think about budgeting and trying set a plan for your spending. Over time, you will find that budgeting your money effectively can help you to achieve your financial goals, both big a small – saving up for a new video game, planning out your groceries for the week, or preparing to invest in property. Budgeting your money effectively can help you reach these goals.
Budgeting to Save
Budgeting can serve as a positive reminder of why you are working hard to earn money. By budgeting your money, you are able to keep your long-term goals in mind and work towards them. If you are planning to make a big investment, such as purchasing a new car, actively budgeting reminds you what you are working towards. It also encourages you not to spend all your hard-earned paychecks on things you don’t necessarily need. This way, when you are working to earn money for your investment, you can be reminded of your goals with the satisfaction of putting a portion of your money aside.
In addition to encouraging saving up for purchases, budgeting can help ensure you do not spend money you don’t have. Before you receive your paycheck, it is a good idea to have a tentative plan to decide how you want to split up the money you earn. Determine a certain percentage you want to set aside to save, and don’t take that money out until you are using it for its intention, or it is an emergency. Once you’ve pulled out your savings from your paycheck, you can start to consider how you want to spend the remainder of your money. Try your best not to spend the remainder of your paycheck before your next payday to ensure you always have a positive balance in your account.
Budgeting for Future Plans
It’s never too early to think about your future and how your finances play a role. Are you interested in buying a house in your life? Are you looking to retire by a certain age? Budgeting can play a major role in achieving these plans.
To begin budgeting for a large investment down the road, you will want to determine how much money you need to save in the long run. If you are considering buying a house, for example, you’ll want to determine how much money you need to handle a down payment. After you’ve set your goal, review your monthly spending and deposits to decide how much of each deposit into your account you need to save to reach your goal. This will make achieving these goals much less daunting and set you on a path to success.
When planning for retirement, you can use your budgeting skills to invest in a retirement fund. Many employers offer their employees a 401(k) plan. A 401(k) is a retirement savings and investing plan that gives you the opportunity to contribute to your future retirement pulled directly from your paycheck. You can determine an amount to add to your 401(k) for every paycheck before your paycheck is taxed. Even better, many employers “match” your contribution – meaning they will invest in your plan as much as you do! If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, make time to discuss your options and see if you are eligible to begin contributing for your retirement.
In addition to a 401(k), you can invest in an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). An IRA is an investment account that allows you to save for retirement regardless of your employer. These accounts allow you to invest in stocks, bonds, and other assets to grow your balance over time from the money you make on your investments. You can open an IRA at a bank or a broker. There are four types of IRAs: traditional, Roth, SEP and SIMPLE. Each plan differs when it comes to whether they are tax-deductible and how much you can contribute. Carefully reviewing your options with the bank or broker of your choosing will help you to decide which plan makes the most sense for you, and how you will be able to maximize your investments.
By accounting for consistent investments into these types of retirement plans, you can set yourself up for a comfortable retirement down the line. Contributing even a small amount of each paycheck will add up significantly over time and prove to be a worthwhile reason to budget wisely!
Budgeting for Emergencies
Although we almost never expect them – emergencies do happen. In your lifetime, you may find yourself in one or more situations where you need to take care of an emergency situation that arises. Often, these emergencies require you to pay for something you may not have been expecting. We know that accidents happen, and that it is critical we are prepared for them before the occur.
Before you begin to budget for major investments and big purchases, it’s smart to first save up for an emergency fund. How much you should save for your emergency fund is entirely up to you – although a general rule of thumb is to put away at least 3 to 6 months’ worth of your expenses. Understanding everyone’s lifestyle is different, when deciding on what makes the most sense for you, you should consider your income, monthly costs, and any other areas where you frequently spend money. Once you’ve done this, you will have a better idea of how much money you should be setting aside for an emergency fund.
You may not need to use your emergency fund for a long time – maybe never – but nonetheless, it is a very important thing to have. When building your emergency fund, be sure to put it away in an account that is easily accessible and costs little to nothing to take money out of. Using your budgeting skills to determine how much you should put away for an emergency fund will give you peace of mind.
The Big Picture
There are many reasons for why you want to heavily consider budgeting as soon as possible. Preparing for big investments and emergencies will give you confidence when you make important decisions that affect your future. By budgeting, you will be able to save yourself from worrying about financial choices throughout your life and prepare you for your future.
