Quick-Start Budget Your first budget! It’s also the simplest, so you can relax now. It’s time to get your feet wet with budgeting. This form is only one page, but it will show you how much money you need every month to cover necessities. While your mortgage or rent is listed here, we won’t get into the details of your credit card bills, student loans, car payments and any other debt yet. The Quick-Start Budget is just your starting point. Step 1 Write down what you’re spending for the month in each of the categories listed (a). If you don’t know exactly, just make your best guess. We’re keeping it simple for now. Food Housing Reality Check Transportation Medical A Charity Recreation Personal Savings Insurance Debt Envelope Clothing Utilities Envelope Utilities Budgeted Electricity Gas Step 2 Internet Write the total for each category in the Total box (b) and move on to the next category. See? Easy! Cable B totAL Step 3 Add up all eight of your total boxes and enter that number at the bottom in the Category Totals box (c). This shows you how much you’re spending in a month for your basic necessities, not including any kind of debt. We’ll get to all that later. C CAtEGoRY totALS ood using Quick-Start Budget Taking control of your money starts here! Add up budgeted column & enter here Food Transportation Charity on Insurance Debt Budgeted Envelope Food Food Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Clothing Utilities Envelope ions for cash envelopes Budgeted pe lo Enve Debt Housing Medical Recreation tithes Savings Clothing Groceries e ranc Insu Utilities onal Envelope Housing Pers Medical Recreation Insurance Debt Envelope Clothing Utilities ity Char tion orta Reality Check Savings pe lo Enve ies sp Tran Utilit Food hing Clot totAL s totAL Reality Check ng Savi n eatio Recr l ica Med g Transportation Medical Charity Recreation Personal Savings Insurance Debt in Hous Envelope Food saVing Clothing Utilities Transportation Personal clothing Budgeted Envelope Charity Housing Medical Recreation Savings Budgeted Envelope pe lo Enve Debt Emergency Fund y Check y charitY Personal These icons represent good opt Adults e ranc Reality Check Insu onal Pers pe lo Enve ity Char tion orta other _________________ Debt sp Tran e ranc Food Insu onal Pers Char n eatio Recr pe lo Enve ies sp Tran Food Children Clot s ng Savi ity tion orta ical Med pe lo Enve ies Utilit hing Utilit ing hing Hous Clot totAL totAL s ng Savi n eatio Recr ical Med ing Food Transportation Charity Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Utilities Envelope hoUsing Housing Reality Check Medical Recreation Savings Clothing Hous transportation Budgeted Food First Mortgage/Rent Transportation Housing Second Mortgage Charity Personal Insurance Debt Car Payment Medical Recreation Savings Clothing Utilities Envelope Budgeted Envelope Car Payment Reality Check Real Estate taxes Gas & oil pe lo Enve Debt Repairs/Maint. Repairs & tires nce ra Insu onal Pers ity Char tion orta Homeowner/Renter Ins. pe lo Enve ies sp Tran Auto Insurance Utilit Food ng hi Clot s ng Savi n eatio Recr ical Med ing Hous totAL Personal Insurance Debt Envelope Clothing Utilities Envelope Utilities Savings totAL Budgeted Electricity personal Food Transportation Housing Gas Medical Charity Personal Recreation Insurance Debt Envelope Budgeted Life Insurance Savings Clothing Utilities Envelope Health Insurance Reality Check Water Disability Insurance pe lo Enve Debt trash e ranc Insu onal Pers Phone/Mobile Internet pe lo Enve ity Char tion orta Debt sp Tran e ranc Food Insu onal Pers ity tion orta ical Med Char Clot s ng Savi n eatio Recr Child Care/Sitter pe lo Enve Entertainment ies sp Tran Food pe lo Enve ies Utilit hing Utilit ing hing Clot Hous s ng Savi n eatio Recr other _________________ ical Cable Med ing Hous other _________________ totAL totAL Add up totals from all categories CAtEGoRY totALS
