Are you clueless when it comes to Budgeting and Personal Finance?
There is help! Here is the Basic Guide to Budgeting and Personal Finance, which will get you and your financial future on track!
I wish I had someone to teach me the basics of budgeting and saving when I was just starting to work. I would have saved myself so much heartache.
This is not a blog about getting out of debt (thank goodness!) or about Pursuing Financial Independence or Early Retirement (FIRE). There are plenty of great people talking about those.
This blog is about the basics of personal finance and my journey toward financial security. I am a “millennial mom” who is doing her best to give my family financial security all while living on a low income. No high-earner here!
How do you start getting your financial life in order?
It’s actually straightforward. There are no secrets or get-rich tips. It comes down to proper budgeting and saving properly.
If you read the following posts (I suggest reading them in order, but you can do whatever you want!), it will give you the basic foundation to start getting your financial life in order. It is simple and straightforward.
Budgeting with the Modern Envelope System– a basic budget with a modern twist.
Budgeting on an Uneven Paycheck– What if you don’t get a set paycheck every month? This post helps you set up a budget to fit your uneven paycheck.
Setting up Your Savings Ladder- Where do you put your savings? How do you know what to save for? The Savings Ladder will tell you exactly where and how much to keep.
Emergency Fund: A Primer- The emergency fund is part of your savings ladder. Why is it so important? Why do you need it?
Why I put $5 a Month into a Retirement Account- Creating good financial habits is key to successfully controlling your financial life.
3 Tips to Boost your Savings-Looking for tips to boost your savings? Here are 3. No shortcuts, though! Just good, old-fashioned savings.
Close the Gap– Why should I budget if my expenses are more than my income?
Guide to Giving Charity– No matter where you are in life. It’s essential that charitable giving be part of your financial plan.
Financial Literacy is Important– especially for kids! You need to be talking to your kids about money and reading money books to your kids and financial literacy books to your teens to raise them to be successful in life.
How To Make a Budget That Actually Works -Do you know how to make a budget that actually works?
Zero-Based Budgeting 101 – The beauty of zero-based budgeting is that you account for every dollar you receive.
Thanks for sharing! I read your post on the modern envelope system and might have to try it!
These are some great resources for getting started with personal finance. Like Jasper, I read the modern envelop system post and I really love the concept!
Thanks! Its nothing revolutionary- just a tweak on the traditional envelope system. I find that simple concepts very often work the best!
Nice round-up post. What I’ve always struggled with in posts like this is connecting to every day people. Sometime I feel like I’m just writing to other personal finance bloggers, but hopefully that will shift with continued growth. Keep up the good work!
I really am trying to get readers that are not other personal finance peeps. I really hope that my work can resonate with some people that are feeling a bit overwhelmed when it comes to personal finance.
I love the idea of just getting started with retirement savings by contributing $5 per month. I started with $10 per month and once I realized how easy it was, and that I didn’t miss the money, I was able to increase my savings rate dramatically.
For sure! I tend to want to jump all in and then quit when I can’t do something perfectly or up to the prescribed “right” standards but doing a little is infinitely better than doing nothing!