7 mistakes in the management of the family budget, and how to avoid them
Get Rich / / December 20, 2019
Ekaterina Danilova
Copywriter and translator on freelancing, mother of three children.
Error 1. To make large purchases not from savings and loans
Lada and Maxim each summer and bringing her daughter to the sea. To do this, they take out a loan or borrow from friends. The remaining 11.5 months it is just enough to pay off debts and buy the next round. On credit. Permanent loans are deprived of family financial possibilities to develop, because the holiday pay for leave, and the current and future income.
What to do
Postponing monthly 10-20% of household income on major purchases. For example, if immediately after returning from vacation to start saving for the next, for a year, you can save up for a decent tour. And not have to overpay interest on loans.
Error 2. To think that you do not need a reserve fund
Oleg and Sveta earn good money. They go on vacation twice a year, preparing his son to the institution and keep a thoroughbred dog. Last month, a misfortune in the family: ill one of the grandmothers. The light had to take a vacation at his own expense, to care for the patient. As a result, the family budget has decreased by almost two times and costs have risen sharply.
What to do
Create reserve fund advance and set aside each month for at least 10% of revenues on a separate account. Financial advisors recommend that you have the air bag equal to the sum of family expenses for 3-6 months. For example, if you spend a month 50 thousand rubles, the reserve fund must be at least 150 thousand.
Money from this account only to remove in case of major unforeseen expenditure as soon as possible Replenish spent. For convenience, use the services of accumulation ( "Piggy Savings Bank», «Nakopilka Alfa-Bank") And to transfer money between accounts of the application (eg"With one card to another"Of" Tinkoff ").
Error 3. Plan costs for a period of less than a year
Olya and Misha are faithfully budget for four months. Fixed income and expense, trying not to make hasty purchases. In August, it was time to collect his son to school, and then as luck would have it, insurance for cars I ended. Ole had to miss a month of classes in the art studio, not to go into debt.
What to do
- Analyze the budget for the last 3-4 months. Answer the questions:
- What expenditure is too bloated? Why?
- Whether there is "lost" sums?
- On what can be safely save money?
- Is it possible to reallocate spending to start saving?
- If expenses exceed income, then why did it happen?
- Calculate all required expenses for the year ahead and set aside on a monthly basis 1/12 of the resulting amount.
- Plan monthly and annual payments: rent, insurance, taxes, loans.
Error 4. Do not use a property that can generate revenue
The family of Fame and Kati two cars, a driver's license - one. On one vehicle drives Glory, and the second removable dust in the garage. Family monthly spend money on rent while the machine is losing in price.
What to do
Sell your spare transport and get rid of the rent for the garage, and the money to delay, invest or spend on education.
By the same principle, and proceed with other property that is not used: sell old bikes and strollers, hand over empty apartments and villas. It's enough to take a picture and place your ad on one of the following services:
- Avito, «whirligig"- board classified ads: sell and lease can be anything you want;
- Airbnb - rent housing;
- Rent A Ride - pass the car rental.
Error 5. Abandon electronic assistants
Lyudmila leads family budget for five years. To this end, it collects checks on all purchases and other expenses recorded in the multi-colored stickers, which then sticks to prominence. At the end of the week all expenses it records different colors in his own tabulation. And everything would be fine if not for lost checks, colored pens are not dragged the kids, and notebook did not disappear at the wrong time.
What to do
Set on a smartphone or a computer application to conduct home accounting. Here are some popular applications available for devices on Android, iOS and Windows:
- Monefy. It allows you to quickly add income and expenses by category. Statistics for the period chosen is shown as a pie chart.
Price: Free
Price: Free
Download for Windows →
- CoinKeeper. It has a lot of useful features, including the introduction of spending one movement, recognition of CMC operations of banks and a reminder of obligatory payments. It allows you to set a limit on spending and save for major purchases.
Price: Free
Price: Free
- "Zen-mani". Service can recognize the operation of mobile banking, electronic money systems, and load the data from the SMS alerts. It allows you to scan a QR-code checks. In the paid version, you can conduct both personal and family budgets.
Price: Free
Price: Free
- "My Mind On My". In addition to the distribution of income and expenses by category, will help you plan a budget and make a shopping list. There is a recognition function SMS from the bank.
Price: Free
Price: Free
Download for Windows →
- Toshl. Supports 200 currencies, including cryptocurrency, recalls the need to pay the bills and their own hopes tip in the restaurant. Is able to upload reports in Google Docs, Excel and PDF. Maintain a budget you will be in the company of communicative monsters that give advice, praised for saving and warn of overruns.
Price: Free
Price: Free
5 more handy for conducting the family budget →
Error 6. Do not put long-term goals
Nikita and Marina - young parents. They are aware of how important it is to plan your personal expenses, and even a time make an effort to keep the budget from time to time. But they are all the time something interferes: laziness fill plate, accidentally thrown out the checks, the accumulation will go to the purchase of the TV in the kitchen for two months.
What to do
- To form a long-term goal. It must be clear and have a direct bearing on the finances. Not a vague "happily ever after" and "after five years living in the new house" or "two years later there is a car wash." It is important that the goal was not invented but real. Such that instead of warmed nekuplennyh coats and every day pushing for planning and self-organization.
- Make a plan to achieve the goal: how to delay, any expenditure to cut and where to find additional sources of income.
Error 7. Abolish article "entertainment"
Sasha - very purposeful girl. Firmly decided to buy an apartment, it was a detailed plan of what, where and why to spend much delayed. Sasha decided that the film can be viewed at home, food to cook the most useful, and a subscription to the Philharmonic will wait until better times. A year later, the doctor advised Sasha urgently take time off and fly over the sea, until he had to treat neurosis medicine.
What to do
- In saving mode is to reduce the number of entertainment, but do not give them up entirely. For example, cut back on the number of visits to the cafe three times a week to three times a month. Or alternate exits in the light of household gatherings.
- Use the service to find free or low cost entertainment. For example, in Timepad many workshops and seminars.
Despite the fact that only 54% of Russian families arePlanning the family budget.
Russians dispose of their income? family budget, this is not too difficult. Set goals, but on the way to him not to go to extremes, denying themselves everything. Think over budget for many months ahead. Collect the air bag and put off big purchases and travel.
see also
- 5 ways to control personal finances if you are a humanitarian →
- How to create a budget for the month and year: with examples of leadership →
- How to budget, if you are a spender →