Make Saving Money Part of Your Family's Budget

Do you find yourself envious of those who have a savings account? Have you ever found yourself having to charge unexpected expenses on a credit card because you don't have any money saved? If you lost your job, would you have any savings to cover your living expenses?

You may really want a savings account, but aren't sure how those who have one actually do it. Maybe you've tried, and just don't seem to have anything left over each month for savings.

Financial experts across the board recommend having a savings account, however. So how do you go about it? Here are some tips for making saving money a part of your family's budget.

Pay Yourself First

One of the reasons many families feel they can't afford to save is that they don't seem to have enough left over after everything's paid. But what if you put money into your savings account first, and then tackled your other expenses with what's left? Think in reverse! It might help to make it a percentage, say 10%, of your income. You'll learn to mentally note this so that you recognize right away that a $1000 check is actually a $900 one.

Windfalls

Has anyone ever asked you how you're going to spend a certain amount of money? Maybe it's a pile of cash you received as a gift, a tax return, a bonus from work, or some other way that you receive money over and above your usual income. A key to saving is, don't earmark the windfall! Instead, put it in your savings account (unless you have an emergency need for it right away) and use as needed. This requires some discipline, especially if someone gives you cash as a gift and wants to know what you spent it on. But this habit of putting windfalls into the bank is a great way to jump-start your savings account.

Study Your Budget

There's nothing like a budget to show you where you can cut back and save more. Review all those optional expenses - cable, eating out, phone apps, whatever - and see where you can trim unnecessary expenditures. Then move that money over into savings.

Split the Costs

When it comes to involving your kids in the family budget, include them in expenses, too. Various lessons, sports and extracurricular activities can cost a lot of money. If your child wants to get involved in something like this, have a portion of the expense (such as for equipment or uniforms) come out of his or her allowance or birthday money. This helps not only to save money but also to encourage your kids to think before committing to an activity.

Getting Started On Your Family Budget

Are you ready to get started on a family budget? Are you overwhelmed? It can seem complicated at first - how do you categorize everything? What about expenses that fluctuate or aren't monthly? The best thing to do is take a step back and look at some practical steps toward formulating your family budget. Here are some tips.

Estimates and Actuals, not Ideals

Remember that your budget is a tool, not a dream machine. Goals are important, but a family budget should first focus on the numbers you're dealing with. That's the basic first step. Once you have a grasp on that, you can begin a bit more idealizing, such as saving for vacations, desired items, etc.

Start with Your Net Income

First, figure out your net income for each month. This means your income minus taxes, insurance, 401K deductions, and so forth. If you are self-employed, subtract estimated taxes, insurance costs, retirement account savings, etc. At this point, you just need numbers.

Expenses - Keep Categories General

Next, figure out your monthly expenses. If they vary, figure out an average by looking at the last three to six months' worth of expenses. For instance, if your electric bill was $150 last month, $140 the month before, and $175 the month before that, then you can estimate a monthly expense of around $155 for electricity. Alternatively, you could take the highest amount, $175, and go with that.

It's a good idea to keep your categories as general as possible while still preserving clarity. Otherwise, you might get confused or overwhelmed by all the "hair splitting." For example, instead of having "food, paper products, drug items, etc." as categories, you can lump all those expenses under "groceries." Items like "pet supplies" can be their own category, but you might want to include vet bills in that category. Here are some suggestions for categories:

* Charitable giving
* Payment off debt
* Home (mortgage, rent, property tax, insurance, repairs, etc.)
* Vehicle
* Utilities
* Health Care
* Birthday and Christmas gifts
* Cushion (this is money set aside to offset surprises, mistakes, or unexpected expenditures)
* Personal (eating out, hair appointments, etc.)

Stop and Look

At this point, stop and take a look at what you've got so far. Are your expenses greater than your income? It's time to cut back significantly, or find another source of income (or both).

Actual Expenses

So far, you have two columns - income and estimated expenses. Now you need to add another column: actual expenses. Keep track of the real numbers each week over the next month and see how much/if they differ.

Now you're well on your way to a workable budget!

A Healthy Outlook to Family Budgets

Having a family budget means, for some people, whipping out the calculator at every purchase, or viewing the budget on their mobile device in the grocery store. For others, a family budget is just a formality and they never really glance at it. Between these extremes are those who sort of use their family budget with moments of obsessive adherence, or those who try but give up altogether because they go crazy trying to keep track of all the details.

Where's the balance? How can you maintain a healthy outlook without obsessing or ignoring your family budget?

Here are some tips on how you can cultivate a healthy outlook regarding your family budget.

Flexibility

For those who tend to err on the obsessive side, it is a good idea to remember to be flexible with your budget. Of course, flexibility does not mean ignoring your parameters. But it does mean you can take a little from one area and cut back in another when necessary.

Get Your Family On Board

Nothing can make you frustrated with a budget like lack of family participation. Family members might just rack up expenses without giving the budget a second thought, leaving you to tear your hair out trying to balance it and cover the expenses. If the whole family is included and on board with the budget, it can improve everyone's outlook.

You Don't Have to Keep Track of Every Penny

Some people avoid a budget because they don't want the stress of keeping track of every cent spent. They're right - that is stressful. But it's not the only way. Look into budgeting in a general way, or simply work out a list of expenses, income, and how much you have in the bank right now.

Customize

Don't be afraid to get creative with your budget, and customize it for your family's needs. Your outlook is likely to be a lot healthier if your budget is suited for your income, expenses, and personality. Your family dynamic should be taken into consideration when you form your budget.

Forgive Yourself and Family Members

Everyone makes mistakes and breaks the budget now and then. Beating yourself up over a budget mess-up is not conducive to a healthy outlook, and neither is nagging and punishing family members. If it's a chronic "mistake," it may need to be addressed in a civil family meeting. But to keep a healthy outlook, let the minor offenses go.

Know When It's a Real Emergency

What constitutes an "emergency" can differ between family members. Dipping into the emergency fund for non-emergency expenses can deplete the money pretty fast. Make sure everyone knows what a real financial emergency looks like for your family.