I Can’t Always Write About Fun Stuff: 2009 Personal Budgets

Photo: Alexandra Rowley

For nearly the past three months in my “real” life, I have been in various phases of budget development at the “real” job (which, henceforth, shall be called “RJ”…aren’t I creative?).  Add this, cut that, justify this, quantify that…it’s been brutal; especially with the current state of our economy.

So I began to think about my austerity plan (read: I DO NOT WANT TO SPEND MY TWILIGHT YEARS AS A GREETER AT WAL-MART).  Though I have been getting some good bargains lately…those small receipts are beginning to add up.  Twenty dollars here; fifteen dollars there may seem great at the time but are stunning when the time comes to reconcile ye olde bank accounts. 

Most of you know it better than me: I can sniff a deal a mile away but my approach has balance.  I do have a budget and I usually honor it (shush, Mr TBS…no one asked you to say a word.).  So all of the number-crunching at RJ reminds me that it’s come that time of year that we sit down and outline our 2009 Household Budget.  If you’ve never written a budget, this is your chance…you have to start someplace (and not in your head…that’s lame). 

Do you develop an annual budget?  Do you go old school (pen and paper)? Or is your process automated?  If you don’t have a budget (and it’s not too personal to share….), why not?

• How To Create A Budget
• Download-able budget worksheet in Excel
• Living On A Budget
• Worksheet For Managing Monthly Bills

I know this is not as exciting as a $109 chair for $20 but one of my goals is to educate, too (so please don’t give me a virtual smack!).

Back to the fun stuff next time (I promise),

TBS