Villa Medici
Friday, February 3, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
NEW YEAR- NEW BUDGETS
Budgeting lies at the foundation of every financial plan. It doesn’t matter if you’re living paycheck to paycheck or earning six-figures a year, you need to know where your money is going if you want to have a handle on your finances. Unlike what you might believe, budgeting isn’t all about restricting what you spend money on and cutting out all the fun in your life. It’s really about understanding how much money you have, where it goes, and then planning how to best allocate those funds. Here’s some things you need to help you create and maintain a budget.
1. Budgeting Basics
Do you know why a budget is so important? On the surface it seems like creating a budget is just a tedious financial exercise, especially if you feel your finances are already in good order. But you might be surprised at just how valuable a budget can be. A good budget can help keep your spending on track and even uncover some hidden cash flow problems that might free up even more money to put toward your other financial goals.2. How to Create a Budget
The hardest part of creating a budget is sitting down and actually creating one. It’s like staring at a blank piece of paper when you need to write something and that first step seems like a massive hurdle.3. 3 Traits for Budgeting Successs
Once you’re taken the time to create a budget, now it’s time to make sure you follow it. Budgeting can be like going on a diet—you start with good intentions, but after a few weeks or months you drift away from your plan. Don’t let that happen to you.4. Basic Budget Worksheet
If you’re having difficulty coming up with all of the various expense categories for your budget, he is a budget worksheet that can help you organize everything. This worksheet has the common expenses and can help you keep track in an orderly fashion.
MONTHLY BUDGET AMOUNT | MONTHLY ACTUAL AMOUNT | DIFFERENCE | |
INCOME: | |||
Wages and Bonuses | |||
Interest Income | |||
Investment Income | |||
Miscellaneous Income | |||
Income Subtotal | |||
INCOME TAXES WITHHELD: | |||
Federal Income Tax | |||
State and Local Income Tax | |||
Social Security/Medicare Tax | |||
Income Taxes Subtotal | |||
Spendable Income | |||
EXPENSES: | |||
HOME: | |||
Mortgage or Rent | |||
Homeowners/Renters Insurance | |||
Property Taxes | |||
Home Repairs/Maintenance/HOA Dues | |||
Home Improvements | |||
UTILITIES: | |||
Electricity | |||
Water and Sewer | |||
Natural Gas or Oil | |||
Telephone (Land Line, Cell) | |||
FOOD: | |||
Groceries | |||
Eating Out, Lunches, Snacks | |||
FAMILY OBLIGATIONS: | |||
Child Support | |||
Alimony | |||
Day Care, Babysitting | |||
HEALTH AND MEDICAL: | |||
Insurance (medical,dental,vision) | |||
Unreimbursed Medical Expenses, Copays | |||
Fitness (Yoga,Massage,Gym) | |||
TRANSPORTATION: | |||
Car Payments | |||
Gasoline/Oil | |||
Auto Repairs/Maintenance/Fees | |||
Auto Insurance | |||
Other Transportation (tolls, bus, subway, taxis) | |||
DEBT PAYMENTS: | |||
Credit Cards | |||
Student Loans | |||
Other Loans | |||
ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION: | |||
Cable TV/Videos/Movies | |||
Computer Expense | |||
Hobbies | |||
Subscriptions and Dues | |||
Vacations | |||
PETS: | |||
Food | |||
Grooming, Boarding, Vet | |||
CLOTHING: | |||
INVESTMENTS AND SAVINGS: | |||
401(K)or IRA | |||
Stocks/Bonds/Mutual Funds | |||
College Fund | |||
Savings | |||
Emergency Fund | |||
MISCELLANEOUS: | |||
Toiletries, Household Products | |||
Gifts/Donations | |||
Grooming (Hair, Make-up, Other) | |||
Miscellaneous Expense | |||
Total Investments and Expenses | |||
Surplus or Shortage (Spendable income minus total expenses and investments) |
5. How Overspending Breaks Your Budget
The main reason to create a budget is to help you keep your finances under control by keeping track of how much money you’re spending and where it goes. When you begin to stray from your budget it’s usually because of spending too much money somewhere. But if you have a budget that tells you exactly how much you’re supposed to spend, why is it so easy to overspend? There are a number of reasons we overspend, so when you understand what causes overspending, you can help put a stop to it and keep your budget on track.
6. Try Using Cash to Keep Spending Under Control
Swiping plastic has become incredibly easy. With both credit cards and debit cards, we can be in and out with a purchase in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a cost. By using plastic we can begin to lose track of how much money is actually being spent. Sure, two dollars here, 4 dollars there, it doesn’t seem like much at the time of purchase, but if you aren’t careful they can really add up and bust your budget. One trick to help keep your daily spending under control is to use cash instead of your credit or debit cards. It might not be as fast, but it helps you visualize just how much money you’re actually spending.Monday, December 12, 2011
YOU ARE INVITED by MK Mueller......
One of our Villa Medici authors is announcing a short talk and book signing for her new "Becoming a Magnificent Manifaster" book. It will be this Wednesday evening here at our clubhouse and you're invited!
What: A short sharing about the book by MK Mueller
When: This Wednesday evening, December 14th
from 7:00-7:15 p.m. and signing of books from 7:15 p.m. to whenever
Where: The beautifully decorated Villa Medici Clubhouse located at 9550 Ash St., Overland Park, KS 66217
Who for: Those who have purchased the book, those who want to, and those
who just want cookies, a roaring fire and Christmas music! If anyone is in the music mood, at 7:30 MK will play some carols on the newly tuned grand piano for all to sing along.
For more about the book, go to http://www.8togreat.com/
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
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