Saving up for a dream vacation or paying off those holiday credit card debts can be a challenge. If you were to look up money saving tips online, every article will throw the word “budget” at you. These articles might demand you forgo that morning coffee, use spreadsheets to track every cent, and hoard every receipt and pay stub in your possession. But, building the perfect budget doesn’t have to involve such schizophrenic habits.
Budget building requires an awareness of your weekly (or bi-weekly) income and how it is being spent. Once you’ve settled that, you can start planning for your financial goals. Here are four tips for preparing a weekly budget.