Page 25 - Book3E

Repeat the Cycle until Your Budget Works
“Practice makes perfect.” This old saying couldn’t be more true than it is in relation to budgeting. Every month that you are diligent about recording your budget makes you tenfold more knowledgeable about what works for your family. As much as you try to fool yourself into thinking you have more to spend than you make, tracking your budget will soon show you the reality.
Reviewing your Yearly Financial Tracker shows you which months are high-stress months and which are easily manageable, light months. This gives you a guideline for knowing which months are better for taking on additional expenses.
You can also see what you ideally need to put aside each month to save for all your expenses throughout the year. This average monthly amount shows you how much you are affected each month by these expenses, usually in the form of added credit card debt, more or larger loans, financial juggling, doing without, and overall frustration.
Once you know this and realize you can do something about it, managing your finances will become really exciting. When you reach the point where you become a wise and responsible consumer and you use credit to your advantage and can pay the bill in full when it is due, you will know you truly have control of your finances. This will give you wonderful peace of mind.
Measuring Your Current Progress 17