It isn't always possible to find the right budget for your finances on your first try. People think of finances as being a solid, written-in-stone thing. They look at budgets as being unmoving.
They couldn't be more wrong.
Your finances change constantly. Your shopping each month isn't even the same. A budget must be flexible in order to survive. At first, you must be willing to let things change and adapt. Over time, your budget will really become your own and it won't change as much. You will.
You can't simply take a cookie-cutter budget and make it fit your spending habits. It simply won't work. If you've always spent $200 a month on groceries, chances are that you won't be able to cut it to $100 overnight. You have to consider that the cost of living is very different in different areas of the country. You have to consider that no one shops like you do. No one knows your finances like you do.
You have to be accurate when predicting your income and expenses. Income is often easy to predict for those that have a fixed salary. Those who do not should go with the lowest projection.
When it comes to your expenses, you have to be honest. If there ever was a time for the truth, it is now. Don't forget to include expenses that don't occur monthly, such as your auto insurance, homeowners insurance, property taxes and other expenses. By setting something aside for these items, you won't be hit hard when the roll around. Your budget will survive them.
You can't just sit and create a budget then tuck it in your desk. You have to review it just as you do your checking account. Consider it as a manager for everything. It can serve as a checklist for paying your bills. It can serve as a way to see how much you save. It can help you manage your finances in numerous ways