Do you recommend any budgeting books, worksheets, etc.?

[iheartscience]

I''m trying to make a budget for myself but I don''t really know where to start as far as books or worksheets go. Does anyone have any recommendations for me for a realistic budget plan?

I would also like it to be as simple and easy as possible because I''m impatient when it comes to doing things I don''t really want to do!

 

[curiopotter]

I''ve been reading this book called "The Automatic Millionare" and I''ll soon be reading "Smart Women Finish Rich" by David Bach

It''s so far a really quick and great read about how to be able to set aside savings and build an investment portfolio instead of budgeting. He basically says that budgeting, like diets, are meant to deprive you, and they end up not working because most people either get sick of depriving themselves, or end up getting sick of calculating things out every month. It also has a workbook you can buy along with the book. there''s also a website www.finishrich.com

Basically it''s a book intended on long-term investing. I know you wanted a budgeting book, but this one, so far, has been pretty smart and full of useful stragegies.

He''s also got other books called, "Start Late, Finish Rich" and "Smart Couples Finish Rich"

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 7/8/2007 10:03:28 PM
Author: curiopotter
I''ve been reading this book called ''The Automatic Millionare'' and I''ll soon be reading ''Smart Women Finish Rich'' by David Bach

It''s so far a really quick and great read about how to be able to set aside savings and build an investment portfolio instead of budgeting. He basically says that budgeting, like diets, are meant to deprive you, and they end up not working because most people either get sick of depriving themselves, or end up getting sick of calculating things out every month. It also has a workbook you can buy along with the book. there''s also a website www.finishrich.com

Basically it''s a book intended on long-term investing. I know you wanted a budgeting book, but this one, so far, has been pretty smart and full of useful stragegies.

He''s also got other books called, ''Start Late, Finish Rich'' and ''Smart Couples Finish Rich''

Thanks, curio, I''m definitely going to check that book out.

The thing about budgeting=dieting is exactly what I''m afraid of! I know myself and I know that I don''t have tons of self control when it comes to saving, but I think my biggest problem is I don''t really know what is "normal" (or just expert-recommended) spending when it comes to stuff like food, clothing, entertainment, etc.

 

[poptart]

Thanks for that link Curio! I am big on budgeting so I will have to go grab that book tomorrow.

Thing 2 of 2: I hope that the book is able to help. Budgeting is stressful and I know how you feel about wondering how much you should be spending each month on varying things. Especially groceries. I can do anything in this world except two things. Kill spiders, and shop for groceries. When I go to the store I just buy a ton of random stuff that I don''t end up using! Wasted money...

As for putting money into savings, would it be possible for you to allot a certain amount of your paycheck to go immediately into savings so you don''t even miss the money? Like start with just 25 or 50 dollars going in there at first and work your way up to putting a little more money in each month that you don''t need?

*M*

 

[neatfreak]

I actually really like Quickbooks. My bank even has a program where I can upload my debit card purchases to it easily. It lets you figure out where you''re spending your $ (food, clothing, etc.) and helps you come up with strategies for everything. I highly recommend it and it''s super easy once you get the hang of it.

 

[Selkie]

I use Quicken to keep track of all my accounts and expenditures, and it also has a budget feature that you can customize. Although I don''t actually use the budget tool, I am obsessive about tracking my expenditures and making sure I do two things every month: 1) set aside enough to cover all my known expenses; 2) Put a certain amount (trying for a minimum of $100) into savings that I don''t touch. Several years ago I decided that the only way to be accountable to myself about my financial situation was to track it very carefully. I started off using a microsoft excel spreadsheet that I made up myself, and then moved to Quicken, which lets me download statements directly from my bank accounts.

 

[iheartscience]

Thanks for the tips, Poptart, neatfreak and Selkie! I definitely need to get my direct deposit stuff changed so that a certain amount goes into my savings account. And I''ll have to check out Quicken and see if my bank offers the downloadable statements. I think that would make me more likely to actually use it!

 

[happilyeverafter]

I absolutely LOVE the book Stop Working, Start Living by Dianne Nahirny. Here lifestyle is a little more drastic than most (lived without a car for 8 years) but it really shows you how to readjust your lifestyle and stick to a budget. A great read.

Some others that have been posted are great - the Automatic Millionaire and all of Dave Bach's books. I also really liked The Wealthy Barber.

I did up a budget for myself that is easy to stick to. I get paid every two weeks so I laid out a plan of what automatically comes out each check, and listed those under each cheque. Then with the rest I allocated based on due dates and made sure to balance that I wasn't spending more than I was bringing in each cheque. It's a GREAT method. It takes me no more than 5 minutes per pay period to pay my bills and allocate savings!

Good luck!

ETA: That Dianne Nahirny book is a Canadian book. The principles are the same, but if you're from a different country then planning for things like healthcare, etc may be different.