Free Budget

Free Budget 

If you were to perform an internet search for “free budget”, you would probably get back several thousand results.  The relevance of those results to your search will vary widely.  The sites listed will offer a variety of things.  Some will offer free budget worksheets or free budget templates.  Others might offer free budget software, or even the ability for you to do your budget on line.  There are even some sites that will offer a free sample budget that might fit your needs if you can make your life fit the budget.

 

The point I’m trying to make is that a free budget is probably not what you are looking for.  I think a free budget is probably only worth what it cost you.  A free budget costs nothing, and I think that is what it will be worth to you, nothing.  You see, I think that you have to make an effort to build a budget that is going to fit and satisfy your plan for your financial life.  A budget is a careful plan.  No one can give you that plan. You must develop that plan as it will be unique to you and your circumstances. You have to decide what your plan is by establishing goals for your financial life. You have to make the effort to develop that plan.  You have to assess your current situation and may decide to redefine or realign your spending. You must then work that plan. Your plan is worthless if you don’t follow the plan.  If that is a free budget, then I don’t understand what free is.

 

On the other hand, I think there are a lot of good free tools being offered to help you develop your budget.  Many of the worksheets will help you define and prioritize the goals of your budget.  If you do a good job here, developing, defining and prioritizing your goals you will find the rest of the job of living on a budget much easier.  The templates provided as worksheets should allow you to assess your current situation.  Some of them can be edited to fit your specific needs as you realign your spending to achieve your goals.  You want something that is convenient and easy to use particularly in the beginning stages of living on a budget.  If you don’t use the tools, you probably won’t get the job done.

 

Free budget?  I don’t think so.  Remember what I told you I thought it was worth?  Developing, maintaining, and living on a budget is going to take some effort and planning on your part, which means it is not free. There are a lot of good tools to help you with your budget.  Some of them are free, and some have a cost.  Those that have a cost are quite often much better tools for you to use developing and monitoring your budget.  When you have the best tools, it is much easier to do the job.  Look for the best budget tools and take the time to learn how to use them to your best advantage.

 

If you have really decided to live on a budget, you have taken an important step toward financial control of your life.  Now you must do the job.  Remember the old adage “there ain’t no free lunch” and you will realize that there is no free budget.  Make the decision, begin the work, use the best tools, and be persistent.  The result should be financial control of your life.