Adulting means setting up a budget and committing to it. Here is advice and tips on how to create a realistic budget you can actually stick to.

Are you wondering how to set a budget that you can actually stick to? Welcome to the thought of the entire world! Setting a budget isn’t simple but with a little bit of planning and effort, you can create one that works for you.

If you’re worried that setting a budget just isn’t going to work for you, don’t give up home. In this post, we’ll dive into some common questions that people have about budgeting and how you can create a budget that will have you saving money in no time at all.

How To Create A Budget You Can (Actually) Stick To

How do you create a budget you can stick to?

Creating a budget that is realistic is key. If you’re going to set yourself up for failure from the start, you’re going to become frustrated and never stick to any type of budget at all.

The first rule of creating a budget? Find out where you can save money and trim a bit of the fat from the places that you’re spending a ton.

Why is it important to stick to a budget?

Having a budget is what is going to propel you to the next level of your life. If you’re always spending all your money and spinning your wheels, you’re never going to transition into anything further than where you are.

And while that may seem fine, just think of it in a way that you’re never going to have enough money to make your current situation better.

What is a good budget?

It can be hard to set a budget in stone, but a lot of people break their money down into percentages so that you can understand how to spend and how to save.

A good example budget could be that 50% of your income is used for expenses and bills, 30% of your income is used for savings, and 20% of your income is used for having fun.

Making certain that you’re saving money each month is really, really important to setting up and structuring your budget.

Why do people find it hard to stick to a budget?

This question really does vary from person to person but one of the biggest reasons that people struggle with sticking to a budget is because they feel like they’re being limited and don’t like to be told “no”.

There are also people that just like to genuinely spend money. Going shopping can actually be an addiction that people have to try and overcome.

What is the 30-day rule?

The 30-day rule is actually a great way to budget and save money. And it’s really simple to do. The next time that you’re wanting to make a purchase on an item that you don’t need, wait for 30 days and see how you feel about it after that.

What this does is that it shows you to wait and be certain that it’s something that you need or want and it also lets you see if you’re an impulse buyer as well.

If after 30 days you no longer want the item, you’ve saved yourself money and figured out that the waiting game was good.

When it comes to setting up a budget, make certain that you give yourself some grace, too. While you might want to come out of the gate swinging and are ready for anything, you have to be realistic as well.

Set down and plan out your month

Don’t even try to budget when you don’t have a plan in place. Take a look at the next month and write down all the things that you’re committed to. Then set up a plan to have a certain percentage of your money to go to savings and the rest to pay your bills.

This will help you have a plan and keep you on track, too.

When it comes to creating a budget that you can stick to, the key is to plan how to make it happen. Not only does planning give you an idea of how to make it happen but it also is something that is going to hold you accountable as well!

Start Small And Work Your Way Up

You can try this tactic out when starting a budget so it’s not such an abrupt change and you’re more willing to make the lifestyle changes. For example, for the 50/30/20, you can start small and then work up to a proper budget (especially if you have never had one. As in, try to have at least 5% of your income left over for savings next month. Then work your way up to 10%. Then slowly up to 30%.

Another way to ease into budgeting is to write all of your expenses down for most important to least important. Then working from the bottom of the list (the least important), start resolving to no longer make those purchases e.g. one less food delivery a week, one less coffee run a week, etc. You can also try substituting things in for those purchases. Instead of one food delivery, promise to do one leftover meal night. Instead of one coffee run, make a cup of coffee.

Do you have any other tips on how to set up a budget easily?

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