I’ve been struggling lately with money and I definitely know I make enough to not be struggling as much. Do you guys have any tips or a template I can use to make a monthly budget where I can also include any debts or subscriptions and kinda visualize my finances better? Also, any tips to save money on food/utilities would be greatly appreciated.
I was in a similar situation in that outside of 401k I was not saving very much. I charged all expenses and categorized them to find averages. It helped me cut unnecessary things like Netflix and set long-term savings targets.
I track 20 categories and am very deliberate about how much gets assigned to what. If I’m spending a lot on eating out, I make sure it’s really worth the money.
Take a look at this resource for free personal finance software: Top Free Personal Finance Software - Unlock Your Financial Potentia - The Learning Page. It could help you visualize your budget better.
YNAB is a budgeting program I’ve used since Feb 2022. It emphasizes goal-setting and proactive budgeting. It’s worth considering, even if it has a cost.
I use Excel to start each month with a budget template, including all fixed expenses and upcoming costs. It helps me keep track of everything.
Track everything you spend down to the small stuff. Apps like Fina Money are great for this and help you see exactly where your money’s going.
Can you be more specific about ‘visualize my finances’? Are you looking to see past spending or focus on future budgeting? There are many software options that can help with both.
I highly recommend Ramit Sethi’s Conscious Spending Plan. Pick an app that lets you automatically track everything, like Simplifi. It’s got great reports.