Budget

A budget is a spending and saving map for money you expect to receive. You list income, fixed costs, flexible costs and a saving or debt payment line, then adjust until the plan is realistic. Tracking actuals against the plan is what makes it useful, not the spreadsheet design.

Key takeaways

• Start with real figures from recent months, not hopeful guesses.
• Pay yourself a saving amount as a planned line, not as leftover hope.
• Review after irregular months (holidays, school fees, festivals) rather than abandoning the system.
• A budget that is too tight fails; leave a small buffer for ordinary surprises.