Creating a budget is an essential first step toward taking control of your money. Start with calculate expenses. You need to finding out exactly how much you’re spending each month. After that know your income and set savings and debt payoff goals. Don’t forget to be realistic.

You don’t need complicated, you need easy. You need step by step instructions on how to start a budget that will actually work for you. Done. Grab a seat, a coffee, and a notebook… we have work to do.

Unless you have a healthy cushion in the bank account, it’s not only important to start a budget, it’s important to know when money is going in and coming out. If you skip this step, then you run the risk of overdraft (when you spend more than you have in your bank account and get charged a fee).

If you need extensive help on creating and sticking to a budget, the best resource I can give you is the free step-by-step class 90 Day Budget Bootcamp that walks you through not only how to create a budget, but how to set up the basic routines in your life that will support your efforts to save money. Because transforming your finances is about more than just the budget. This was the best thing that ever happened to us.