Personal Budgeting
Have you ever said to yourself…
 “Where does all of my money go?”
 Budgeting will allow you to know where your hard earned money goes.
 “When will I be able to pay off my loans?”
 Budgeting is a first step in making future financial plans.
 “How am I going to be able to afford ______?”
 Budgeting helps you limit unnecessary spending so that you can afford things you need.
 “Thinking about money makes me nervous!”
 Budgeting helps limit financial anxiety.
 “I’m not a math person. I can’t figure out how to budget!”
 Budgeting only requires simple +, -, x, and ÷, but mostly just + and -.
 “I’m afraid to know how much I spend on ______!”
 Budgeting gives you permission to only spend up to a certain amount.
 “My spending is out of control!”
 Budgeting helps promote good habits.
Budgeting = Habit Formation
 Habit that takes the guesswork out of financial decisions in each stage of life
 Meet expenses and limit/avoid debt as a student.
 Prepare for marriage, children, and homeownership as a young adult.
 Save for retirement and generosity in older adulthood.
 Live as a retiree without being a financial burden on family or the government.
 Setting up systems and using tools to help you meet both short-term and long-term
goals
 Set monthly and annual goals (in conjunction with spouse if applicable).
 Track expenses throughout month using a spreadsheet or app.
 Review monthly and annually to see if you’ve met goals and how you can improve.
 Paying with cash, avoiding unnecessary debt
 Being prepared for the unexpected, because the unexpected will happen!
 Learning to be content with your life
Money coming in…
 Does your income stay the same or
does it vary from paycheck to paycheck?
 If it varies, decide on a very conservative
estimate of what you will likely earn
during a period of time.
 Focus on your “take home pay” (i.e.,
what you get to keep after taxes, union
dues, benefit payments, etc. are
withheld by your employer), not gross
pay.
 Especially important if self-employed or
a business owner since you are
responsible for tax payments throughout
the year in some cases.
Money going out…
 Make a list of everything that you
spend money on and break it into
categories.
 Analyze each category based on two
questions:
 Is it a need or a want?
 Is the amount I spend on this category
the same every month or does it vary?
Expenses: Need or want?
 Needs receive top priority.
 The first things that should be considered in your budget
 Examine wants to see if you actually need them.
 Practice postponing buying “wants” as a lot of the time you will realize you are
just fine without them.
 Think about other costs beyond purchase price associated with “wants.”
 Upkeep cost
 Complementary purchase costs
 Opportunity costs
Expenses: Fixed or Variable?
 Fixed expenses remain the same for a period of time, typically month to
month.
 Fixed expenses are often contract based.
 Shop for better prices when the contract is about to expire.
 Variable expenses change based on some factor, typically usage.
 Find a way to treat variable expenses as if they were fixed expenses (e.g., I
will not spend more than $__ on vehicle fuel this month).
Income Category Examples
 Keep track for each individual income source.
 Gross income
 Withheld* taxes and fees (*typically)
 Federal, state, local income taxes
 Social security and Medicare
 Union dues (if applicable)
 Employer sponsored benefits (e.g., medical, vision, dental, retirement, disability)
 Take-home pay
Remember: Take-home pay serves as the foundation for your budget!
Expense Category Examples
 Food
 Groceries
 Regular Eating Out
 Special Eating Out
 Clothing
 Clothes
 Shoes
 Shelter
 Rent/Mortgage
 Water
 Electric
 Gas
 Trash
 Rental/Homeowner’s Insurance
 Property Taxes
 Furniture/Decoration Allowance
 Maintenance/Tools/Cleaning Supplies
Expense Category Examples
 Health
 Insurance premiums (if not withheld
by employer)
 Rx/OTC medicines, vitamins
 Office visits
 Testing
 Health/Beauty/First Aid Supplies
 Dental
 Vision
 Fitness Equipment/Gym Fees
 Haircuts
 Transportation
 Insurance premiums
 Fuel
 Tires/brakes
 Car wash
 Tolls
 Oil change and tire rotation
 Minor car maintenance/parts
 Registration Renewal
 State Inspection
 Taxes
 Parking (non-entertainment related)
 Uber/Lyft/Taxi fees
Expense Category Examples
 School
 Tuition and fees
 Loan payments (if applicable)
 Books
 Technology (e.g., computer)
 Conferences, professional development,
etc.
 Giving
 Family and friend gifts and cards (e.g.,
birthday and holidays)
 Special occasion gifts (e.g., wedding,
baby)
 Religious and/or charitable giving
 Giving to help family and friends in need
 Entertainment
 Tickets, concessions, parking
 Cell phone
 Internet access
 Streaming services and/or cable
 Pocket money for impulse buys
 Investment
 Emergency Fund for unexpected expenses
 Retirement/IRA
 Life insurance (if applicable)
Expense Category Examples
 Travel
 Entertainment (tickets, admissions,
etc.)
 Vehicle Fuel, Uber/Lyft/Taxi fees
 Flights
 Rental Car
 Eating Out
 Lodging
 Tolls
 Parking
 Misc. travel expenses
 Other/Misc.
 Tax preparation
 Stamps/postage
 Taxes not withheld by employer (e.g.,
estimated taxes, use tax, certain local
taxes)
 Non-categorizable expenses
Expense Category Budgeting Tips
 Food
 Eat in as much as possible, but if you do eat out
save by getting water instead of soft drinks (or
alcohol).
 Clothing
 Focus on buying interchangeable staple clothing
and footwear items that are timeless and will last as
opposed to being trendy.
 Shelter
 Live at home or get a roommate (or two or three)
so that you can share expenses. Avoid spending
more than 25% of take-home pay on shelter.
 Health
 Find a way to get insurance. Engage in healthy
activities now (e.g., eating, exercise) to save on your
health bills later in life.
 Transportation
 Buy a newer used car as opposed to a brand new
one. Only buy what you can afford in cash since
vehicles only go down in value.
 School
 Find ways to limit costs (e.g., be an RA, do work
study, hunt for scholarships, become a graduate
assistant) and avoid debt. Do not be swayed by the
brand of the school, focus on cost. Find an
employer that offers tuition reimbursement.
 Giving
 Find a way to be generous with your money, even if
just a little.
 Entertainment
 Prioritize what you enjoy most; eliminate or limit
the rest. How many streaming services do you
actually need?
 Investment
 Start now, even if small. Look into an IRA.
 Travel
 Find ways to share costs with family/friends. Take
shorter trips within driving distance as opposed to
paying to fly somewhere. Stay at budget hotels.
Do not be swayed by Instagram or others.
Dave Ramsey’s Baby Step Method
Once you’ve mastered
budgeting in the short-term,
you can start to think about
the long-term. While the
later steps might not apply to
you for a few years, they will
be easier to achieve in the
future if you master
budgeting now.
Source: The Total Money Makeover by Dave
Ramsey, Daveramsey.com, and/or The Dave
Ramsey Show Podcast
1. Save $1,000 for your starter
emergency fund.
2. Pay off all debt (except your
house) by paying off debts from
smallest to largest (i.e., the debt
snowball).
3. Save 3-6 months of expenses in a
fully funded emergency fund.
4. Invest 15% of your household
income in retirement.
5. Save for your children’s college
fund.
6. Pay off your home early.
7. Build wealth and give.
Resources
 WLU’s FIN 131: Financial Literacy course (available as a general studies
course for most majors)
 Daveramsey.com (and all other Dave Ramsey resources)
 NerdWallet.com
 Debt.org
 Microsoft Excel (build your own budget or use a template)
 Building your own budget in a spreadsheet gives you the most control
 Your online bank account (if you prefer a debit card to carrying cash)
might have a budgeting tool
 Google search “budgeting for college students”

Personal-Budgeting for presentation.pptx

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Have you eversaid to yourself…  “Where does all of my money go?”  Budgeting will allow you to know where your hard earned money goes.  “When will I be able to pay off my loans?”  Budgeting is a first step in making future financial plans.  “How am I going to be able to afford ______?”  Budgeting helps you limit unnecessary spending so that you can afford things you need.  “Thinking about money makes me nervous!”  Budgeting helps limit financial anxiety.  “I’m not a math person. I can’t figure out how to budget!”  Budgeting only requires simple +, -, x, and ÷, but mostly just + and -.  “I’m afraid to know how much I spend on ______!”  Budgeting gives you permission to only spend up to a certain amount.  “My spending is out of control!”  Budgeting helps promote good habits.
  • 3.
    Budgeting = HabitFormation  Habit that takes the guesswork out of financial decisions in each stage of life  Meet expenses and limit/avoid debt as a student.  Prepare for marriage, children, and homeownership as a young adult.  Save for retirement and generosity in older adulthood.  Live as a retiree without being a financial burden on family or the government.  Setting up systems and using tools to help you meet both short-term and long-term goals  Set monthly and annual goals (in conjunction with spouse if applicable).  Track expenses throughout month using a spreadsheet or app.  Review monthly and annually to see if you’ve met goals and how you can improve.  Paying with cash, avoiding unnecessary debt  Being prepared for the unexpected, because the unexpected will happen!  Learning to be content with your life
  • 4.
    Money coming in… Does your income stay the same or does it vary from paycheck to paycheck?  If it varies, decide on a very conservative estimate of what you will likely earn during a period of time.  Focus on your “take home pay” (i.e., what you get to keep after taxes, union dues, benefit payments, etc. are withheld by your employer), not gross pay.  Especially important if self-employed or a business owner since you are responsible for tax payments throughout the year in some cases. Money going out…  Make a list of everything that you spend money on and break it into categories.  Analyze each category based on two questions:  Is it a need or a want?  Is the amount I spend on this category the same every month or does it vary?
  • 5.
    Expenses: Need orwant?  Needs receive top priority.  The first things that should be considered in your budget  Examine wants to see if you actually need them.  Practice postponing buying “wants” as a lot of the time you will realize you are just fine without them.  Think about other costs beyond purchase price associated with “wants.”  Upkeep cost  Complementary purchase costs  Opportunity costs
  • 6.
    Expenses: Fixed orVariable?  Fixed expenses remain the same for a period of time, typically month to month.  Fixed expenses are often contract based.  Shop for better prices when the contract is about to expire.  Variable expenses change based on some factor, typically usage.  Find a way to treat variable expenses as if they were fixed expenses (e.g., I will not spend more than $__ on vehicle fuel this month).
  • 7.
    Income Category Examples Keep track for each individual income source.  Gross income  Withheld* taxes and fees (*typically)  Federal, state, local income taxes  Social security and Medicare  Union dues (if applicable)  Employer sponsored benefits (e.g., medical, vision, dental, retirement, disability)  Take-home pay Remember: Take-home pay serves as the foundation for your budget!
  • 8.
    Expense Category Examples Food  Groceries  Regular Eating Out  Special Eating Out  Clothing  Clothes  Shoes  Shelter  Rent/Mortgage  Water  Electric  Gas  Trash  Rental/Homeowner’s Insurance  Property Taxes  Furniture/Decoration Allowance  Maintenance/Tools/Cleaning Supplies
  • 9.
    Expense Category Examples Health  Insurance premiums (if not withheld by employer)  Rx/OTC medicines, vitamins  Office visits  Testing  Health/Beauty/First Aid Supplies  Dental  Vision  Fitness Equipment/Gym Fees  Haircuts  Transportation  Insurance premiums  Fuel  Tires/brakes  Car wash  Tolls  Oil change and tire rotation  Minor car maintenance/parts  Registration Renewal  State Inspection  Taxes  Parking (non-entertainment related)  Uber/Lyft/Taxi fees
  • 10.
    Expense Category Examples School  Tuition and fees  Loan payments (if applicable)  Books  Technology (e.g., computer)  Conferences, professional development, etc.  Giving  Family and friend gifts and cards (e.g., birthday and holidays)  Special occasion gifts (e.g., wedding, baby)  Religious and/or charitable giving  Giving to help family and friends in need  Entertainment  Tickets, concessions, parking  Cell phone  Internet access  Streaming services and/or cable  Pocket money for impulse buys  Investment  Emergency Fund for unexpected expenses  Retirement/IRA  Life insurance (if applicable)
  • 11.
    Expense Category Examples Travel  Entertainment (tickets, admissions, etc.)  Vehicle Fuel, Uber/Lyft/Taxi fees  Flights  Rental Car  Eating Out  Lodging  Tolls  Parking  Misc. travel expenses  Other/Misc.  Tax preparation  Stamps/postage  Taxes not withheld by employer (e.g., estimated taxes, use tax, certain local taxes)  Non-categorizable expenses
  • 12.
    Expense Category BudgetingTips  Food  Eat in as much as possible, but if you do eat out save by getting water instead of soft drinks (or alcohol).  Clothing  Focus on buying interchangeable staple clothing and footwear items that are timeless and will last as opposed to being trendy.  Shelter  Live at home or get a roommate (or two or three) so that you can share expenses. Avoid spending more than 25% of take-home pay on shelter.  Health  Find a way to get insurance. Engage in healthy activities now (e.g., eating, exercise) to save on your health bills later in life.  Transportation  Buy a newer used car as opposed to a brand new one. Only buy what you can afford in cash since vehicles only go down in value.  School  Find ways to limit costs (e.g., be an RA, do work study, hunt for scholarships, become a graduate assistant) and avoid debt. Do not be swayed by the brand of the school, focus on cost. Find an employer that offers tuition reimbursement.  Giving  Find a way to be generous with your money, even if just a little.  Entertainment  Prioritize what you enjoy most; eliminate or limit the rest. How many streaming services do you actually need?  Investment  Start now, even if small. Look into an IRA.  Travel  Find ways to share costs with family/friends. Take shorter trips within driving distance as opposed to paying to fly somewhere. Stay at budget hotels. Do not be swayed by Instagram or others.
  • 13.
    Dave Ramsey’s BabyStep Method Once you’ve mastered budgeting in the short-term, you can start to think about the long-term. While the later steps might not apply to you for a few years, they will be easier to achieve in the future if you master budgeting now. Source: The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, Daveramsey.com, and/or The Dave Ramsey Show Podcast 1. Save $1,000 for your starter emergency fund. 2. Pay off all debt (except your house) by paying off debts from smallest to largest (i.e., the debt snowball). 3. Save 3-6 months of expenses in a fully funded emergency fund. 4. Invest 15% of your household income in retirement. 5. Save for your children’s college fund. 6. Pay off your home early. 7. Build wealth and give.
  • 14.
    Resources  WLU’s FIN131: Financial Literacy course (available as a general studies course for most majors)  Daveramsey.com (and all other Dave Ramsey resources)  NerdWallet.com  Debt.org  Microsoft Excel (build your own budget or use a template)  Building your own budget in a spreadsheet gives you the most control  Your online bank account (if you prefer a debit card to carrying cash) might have a budgeting tool  Google search “budgeting for college students”