Budget Busters

I am posting a very good article today from Crown Financial Ministries. This article has lots of practical suggestions designed to enable you to take control of your finances. When we avoid these "budget busters", needless to say, we also effectively cut down on our debts. I hope this will help you just like it helped me. 

Budget Busters 
by Crown Financial Ministries

Budget busters – areas that can result in financial disaster.

(The following percentages are for a 4-member family with an annual gross income of $130,000 or less. Net Spendable Income (NSI) is money available after tithe and taxes.)

Housing (38 percent of NSI)

• Don't buy or rent a house you can’t afford – total housing includes mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities, phone, and maintenance.
• Don’t finance closing costs or secure a second mortgage for a down payment.

Food (12 percent of NSI)

• Plan and stick to written weekly menus.
• Don’t shop when hungry or hurried. Do shop specials, store labels, and use coupons.

Automobile (15 percent of NSI)

• Buy quality used cars you can afford, and don’t trade in before car’s usefulness is over.
• Auto price, maintenance, gas, tags, taxes, and insurance are all part of cost.
• Consider dropping collision insurance on cars more than four years old.

Debt (not housing or auto – 5 percent of NSI)

• Establish a payment schedule to pay all creditors regularly, and get rid of credit cards that you can’t pay in full each month.
• Sacrifice wants and desires – buy with cash until debts are current.

Insurance (5 percent of NSI – if your employer provides medical insurance)

• Find a well-informed, trusted insurance agent to get the best possible provision for the money.
• If you have no medical coverage through employment, consider major medical insurance – it can covers up to 80 percent of medical expenses due to catastrophic illness or injury.

Recreation/Entertainment (5 percent of NSI)

• Recreation-oriented Americans, who are in debt, shouldn’t borrow to entertain themselves.
• Plan vacations during off seasons, select local vacation destinations, consider camping.

Clothing (5 percent of NSI)

• Save money and buy without using credit.
• Purchase off season if possible, and select home washable fabrics and outfits that can be used in multiple combinations.

Medical and Dental (5 percent of NSI)

• Prevention is cheaper than treatment.
• Teach children to eat the right foods and clean their teeth properly. Good diet, rest, and exercise will most likely result in better health.
• Ask doctors and dentists in advance about costs, shop for prescriptions, and ask for generic drugs.

Savings (5 percent of NSI)

• Without savings, the use of credit and debt becomes a way of life.
• Use payroll deduction for savings. If it’s not available, your bank can automatically withdraw from checking account to savings.

Remember budgets don’t operate on auto-pilot, they require effort and family understanding. If you’re determined to achieve and maintain a debt-free lifestyle, then living on a budget is essential. Don’t bust your budget.

It is wise to pay attention to these practical and useful suggestions. It takes time and effort to do these but when we follow them, they become part of our lives that will cause us to be in control of our finances.

To your debt-free life,

Jimmy