Budget Website Free for Personal Budgeting and Planning

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From above electronic calculator and notepad placed over United States dollar bills together with metallic pen for budget planning and calculation
Credit: pexels.com, From above electronic calculator and notepad placed over United States dollar bills together with metallic pen for budget planning and calculation

There are many free budgeting websites that can help you manage your finances and plan for the future. You can use these websites to track your income and expenses, create a budget, and set financial goals.

Mint is a popular free budgeting website that allows you to link your bank accounts and credit cards, giving you a clear picture of your financial situation. It also offers bill tracking and alerts, so you'll never miss a payment.

Some free budgeting websites offer investment tracking and retirement planning tools, helping you make the most of your money. For example, Personal Capital allows you to track your investments and get a clear picture of your financial progress over time.

By using a free budgeting website, you can take control of your finances and make informed decisions about your money.

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Understanding Your Finances

Having a clear picture of your income is crucial for creating a budget. You can get a personalized spending plan with Simplifi's award-winning app.

Credit: youtube.com, ACCOUNTANT EXPLAINS: How I manage my money on payday: Income, Expenses & Savings

Knowing your net income is the first step to managing your finances effectively. It's the amount of money you have available for expenses, savings, and debt repayment after taxes and other deductions.

To get started, you'll need to track your monthly spending automatically with Simplifi. This will give you a clear picture of where your money is going and help you identify areas for improvement.

A good rule of thumb is to allocate at least 50% of your net income towards necessary expenses like rent, utilities, and groceries.

Tracking Your Expenses

Tracking your expenses is a crucial step in managing your finances effectively. It helps you stay on top of your spending and make informed decisions about your money.

To track your expenses, you can use a budget planner sheet or software like MoneyStrands or Moneytrackin' that can import your financial information from your banking institutions and credit issuers. This can help you create a 12-month spending plan and keep you on track.

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You should track all your transactions, including small purchases, to get an accurate picture of your spending habits. This means tracking everything that happens to your money all month long, as suggested in Example 4.

Here's a list of some categories to consider when tracking your expenses:

  • Groceries/Household
  • Pet Supplies
  • Clothing
  • Medical
  • Other Expenses (such as holiday spending, vacations, and birthday presents)

Remember to leave a little buffer in your bank account, about $100–300, as suggested in Example 2, so you don't let it reach zero.

Personal Expenses

Tracking your personal expenses is a crucial part of staying on top of your finances. To do this effectively, you need to categorize your expenses into different groups, such as groceries, household supplies, pet expenses, clothing, medical costs, and other miscellaneous expenses.

For groceries and household supplies, try to estimate your monthly expenses by looking at your past three months' spending. If you're unsure, it's better to budget conservatively. Consider whether the last three months were higher or lower than usual and adjust your estimate accordingly.

Credit: youtube.com, 4 Ways to Track Your Expenses

Pet owners, don't forget to include expenses for pet supplies, such as food, litter, and annual shots. Add a little extra to cover unexpected costs like vet visits or pet emergencies.

Clothing expenses can be tricky to estimate, but remember to factor in the occasional splurge, even if you don't buy new clothes often. If you have dry-clean-only items, include those expenses too.

Medical expenses can be complex, but try to estimate your monthly costs by thinking about your average year's worth of doctor and dentist visits, prescriptions, and other medical needs. Don't forget to include your health insurance premiums, unless they're deducted from your paycheck.

Other expenses are just that – miscellaneous costs that don't fit into the above categories. Some examples include holiday spending, vacations, birthday presents, babysitting, and recreational vehicles. Take a few minutes to think about your unique expenses and estimate an amount for each.

Here's a rough breakdown of the types of expenses you might include in each category:

By breaking down your expenses into these categories, you'll be able to get a clear picture of where your money is going and make informed decisions about your spending.

Track Your Transactions

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Tracking your transactions is crucial to staying on top of your spending. This involves tracking everything that happens to your money all month long.

You can use software like MoneyStrands to import your financial information from your banking institutions and credit issuers. This will help you create a 12-month spending plan and keep you on track.

MoneyStrands also allows you to schedule upcoming bills and view projections of what your money should look like going forward. It's available in different languages and can manage finances in multiple currencies.

Moneytrackin' is another tool that helps you see where your money is going. It provides help with tracking and dividing shared expenses and creating shared budgets.

Creating a Budget

Creating a budget is an essential step in taking control of your finances. To start, you need to figure out your monthly income, which is the amount you can spend every month. This is your net income, not your gross income, which is your total pay before any deductions.

Credit: youtube.com, Excel Budget Template | Automate your budget in 15 minutes

To determine your monthly income, follow these steps: If you get paid a regular check once a month, enter your net income after deductions each paycheck. If you get paid twice a month, add the take-home amount of your two checks together and enter that amount. If you get paid every other week, multiply your take-home amount by 26 for the number of checks you get each year, and then divide by 12 to get your monthly take-home pay.

You can also add any additional income, such as a side hustle or child support, to your monthly income. Don't forget to include a second income if you have one.

Once you have your monthly income, you can start subtracting your expenses. This is called a zero-based budget, where everything is on the table and you should have nothing left over. Start by keeping track of what you spend in a month, and then compare it to your monthly income.

Here are the major expense categories that you will likely want to include in your budget:

  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Food
  • Insurance
  • Debt repayment
  • Entertainment
  • Savings
  • Investments

Remember to leave a little buffer in your budget, around $100-300, to avoid dipping into savings or going into debt.

Using Online Tools

Credit: youtube.com, 7 Best Budgeting Apps for 2024 (Mint Alternatives)

Mint is the online budget tool that started a revolution, allowing you to link your financial accounts and automatically update your information.

These free online budget tools, such as Mint, Empower, and BudgetPulse, offer varied functionalities, including linking accounts and tracking expenses.

You can track your progress toward retirement goals and use Mint to create a debt pay-down plan with its visual tools.

Tools like SavvyMoney emphasize debt paydown, making it easier to manage your finances and achieve financial freedom.

Moneytrackin and MoneyStrands cater to international users or small business owners, providing tailored solutions for their specific needs.

Simplifi offers a personalized spending plan and automatically tracks your monthly spending, helping you stay on top of your finances.

Empower focuses on investment tracking, making it a great option for those who want to manage their investments online.

Managing Your Finances

Managing your finances can be a daunting task, but with the right tools, it's easier than you think. Simplifi is an award-winning app that helps you stay on top of your finances by providing a personalized spending plan and automatically tracking your monthly spending.

Credit: youtube.com, Analyzing The BEST Budgeting Apps For BETTER Money Management | NerdWallet

You can get a clear picture of your financial situation by knowing your net income, which is the amount of money you have coming in each month. This is the foundation of creating a budget that works for you.

Having a clear understanding of your net income allows you to make informed decisions about how to allocate your money towards different expenses, savings, and debt repayment.

Planning Your Finances

To stay on top of your finances, consider using Simplifi, an award-winning app that provides a personalized spending plan and automatically tracks your monthly spending.

You can also create a zero-based budget, where everything is on the table and you should have nothing left over. This involves keeping track of what you spend in a month and your monthly income.

Making a new spending plan each month can help you account for expenses that vary from month to month, such as gifts in December or travel in the summer.

Credit: youtube.com, HOW TO: THE EASIEST AND SIMPLEST WAY TO CREATE A MONTHLY BUDGET! 6-MINUTES PROCESS

Some common expense categories to include in your budget are gifts, travel, and bills.

My Spending Plan software uses the envelope system to help you plan your budget and sends you emails and alerts to remind you of bills that need to be paid.

Personalizing your settings can help you see your big picture and stay on track with your financial goals.

Melba Kovacek

Writer

Melba Kovacek is a seasoned writer with a passion for shedding light on the complexities of modern technology. Her writing career spans a diverse range of topics, with a focus on exploring the intricacies of cloud services and their impact on users. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for simplifying complex concepts, Melba has established herself as a trusted voice in the tech journalism community.

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