How to Make a Budget and Stick to It

How to Make a Budget and Stick to It

Last updated June 2, 2022.

Members of the United States military know all about discipline. But sometimes this self control is difficult to translate to our financial lives.

In order to reach our financial pot of gold, many people try to create a budget to save money and spend our funds properly. This is a great idea, but without mental toughness, our plans could fail just as quickly as it was hatched. When creating a budget, make sure that you not only make one that is realistic, but also keep in mind the care it needs in order to work.

Train your sights on your budget

The first thing you want to do when making a budget is to calculate how much you make every payday. Once you figure out your take home pay, you’ll need to break down your necessary expenses.

Prioritize your most essential bills and expenses. You and your family need to eat and pay for housing. Although you may receive a cost of living allowance, or get free housing on base, you still need to budget accordingly. Also, make sure that any outstanding debt is tackled. This includes credit cards, car payments, medical visits, or anything else. Deduct these amounts as necessary.

Keeping an eye on non-essential costs is important too. Unless you don’t plan on spending any other money beyond necessary payments, you will need to make room for these expenses. Also try to put a share of your paycheck into savings. It’s usually smart to begin with a small amount and increase it as you adjust to the lifestyle.

Discipline yourself to pay your expenses

The budget plan is only as good as our discipline. There are no days off when it comes to your financial obligations, and you need to tell yourself that frequently. Disciplining yourself to take care of these payments will improve your financial standing in the end, which will lead you to your financial pot of gold. It also will prevent slip-ups that you can control.

If you are still having trouble with your financial situation, or need some advice on how to create a budget and stick to it, contacting Omni Financial is a good idea. Omni has exactly what you need when it comes to improving your financial knowledge.

The information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only.