The Union Budget was presented on 1st February 2017, and it works as a reminder to all of us that we need to have a budget for our own home. It provides a roadmap for all our spending, investing, saving, and taxation needs while also helping us determine financial goals and ways to achieve those goals.
From analysing spending habits to improving savings habits, a well-planned budget is necessary for the financial health of you and your family.
Here are 5 reasons why you should consider creating a budget for your household.
- Helps you to spend within your means
A budget helps you keep track of every small expense that goes unnoticed otherwise. You can see how your spending and saving adds up, and you can avoid overspending. Knowing how much money you have and what your financial commitments are can help you mend your spending habits and refrain from wasting away hard-earned money.
- Helps you to put goals in place
A budget helps you to map short, medium, and long-term goals in time, prompting you to spend and save accordingly. To prepare yourself well for expenses such as children’s education, marriage, and life after retirement; such goals need to be in place. Setting goals also leads you to pick the investment instruments best suited to achieving them.
Additional Reading: #PlayYourPart: How To Budget, Save And Cut Costs On Your Wedding
- Helps you build wealth
No amount of money can make you rich if you don’t save and invest in the right place at the right time. Allocation of resources in the right assets help you build wealth by generating a passive income and beating inflation. And budgeting gives you a fair idea on what you have and the amount of risk you can take when deciding your investment instruments.
- It prepares you for emergencies
You need to have a contingency fund in place to take care of your expenses during an emergency such as job loss or illness, and budgeting can help you be more disciplined towards building such a fund. It also gives you a clear idea about your regular expenses, so you know how much you would need for an emergency such as a job loss. An ideal contingency fund should be worth six to eight months of your current monthly income.
- Helps you to focus on your career
When you know what you have got and what you aspire to, your goals are set. And, once you have your goals in place, you work towards achieving them. This also helps you focus on your career better.
Additional Reading: 4 Budgeting ideas for the self-employed