Do people actually need a personal family budget? Amen to that.
Having a fixed and pre planned amount that can be spent each and every month on expenses would not only give the peace of mind, but also can help as a powerful tool to predict the expenses while saving for future. When most people are wary of making up a family budget, because it would be a complicated mess of accounting practices and numbers, it, actually, is simply a bit of financial planning where one sits down and figures out how much one has and how much one would need. Having a family is always a huge responsibility and there are numerous things that must be taken care of always and the safety and security of the family always holds top priority. With a budget, one is free of the worry about being able to pay bills while putting away money for children’s’ education, medical emergencies, retirement, etc.
With a bit of planning, devastating financial losses as well as family problems can be prevented. Those who fail to remember that the financial area of your life as it pertains to the family is the deciding point between happiness and extreme stress, end up failing to use a family budget. After all, if the money is already indexed, it allows the understanding of the expenses against the income that one has. Moreover, the control one has over money is not affected by a budget, but it allows freedom to a person wishing to lead a stress free life when it comes to money matters.
Another advantage with a family budget is that, one can always ascertain the areas where savings can be made and a few bucks could be shaved off. When one would have a side by side comparison of the expenses with the incoming money, the final result is the profit or extra money that one is left with each month. Well, with this extra money, one could plan a retirement, make investments or simply, go for a savings account for future uncertainties.
The savings that become palpable after going through a family budget can be used in purchasing items which could be of use in near future, without the requirement of a credit card, which indeed is expensive, with interest rates soaring as high as 28% to 30 % per annum.
Family budget planning also provides a scope for involvement of children in the family, so that they are aware that they have a safe and secure future under the proper planning and guidance of their parents. Also, a family budget works properly, if it is co operated by all members of the family, so the opinions of the children about their necessities could also be considered. Along with that, a family budget also show cases the anxiety of the children, with respect to money. It also teaches the children about how money works and creates a space for dialogue between the parents and the children.
A disciplined family budget does not just help one to achieve financial health, but, also social health.