A budget is useful for keeping track of your income and expenses, as well as for determining how much you can save for your financial goals. Your budget should ideally include all you receipts and disbursements.

How often should I check my budget?

That's really up to you. But remember, the more often you check your expenses, the better your chances of sticking to your budget and saving enough for your special project. Your budget should ideally include all your receipts and disbursements. Naturally, you can change your budget if there's been a change in your life, like getting a raise, receiving an inheritance, or having to cover an unexpected expense.

Family budget or personal budget?

If you and your spouse pool your finances, then you should prepare a family budget. But if each spouse pays his or her share of the expenses separately, then a personal budget would be in order.

The project you're planning also has an impact on the type of budget you prepare. Buying a home will probably call for a family budget, while buying a new wardrobe is a more appropriate goal for a personal budget.

To determine how much you can save monthly, complete this table by entering your monthly expenses.

Net income (after expenses)

    Individual budget

    Family budget

Salaries/commissions

Child support

Rental income

Interest

Other

Fixed expenses

Renter / mortgage and taxes

Electricity / heating

Telephone

Cable

Life insurance

Car insurance

Home insurance

License / registration

Daycare

Alimony

Loan payments

Credit cards

Payroll deductions

Other

Variable expenses

Food

Transportation

Children's health / education

Prescriptions

 

Clothes

Home maintenance

Tobacco / alcohol

Leisure activities

Pocket money

Other

Net income (after expenses)

Individual budget

Family budget

Salaries / commissions

${individualSalary}

${familySalary}

Child support

${individualChildSupport}

${familyChildSupport}

Rental income

${individualRent}

${familyRent}

Interest

${individualInterest}

${familyInterest}

Other

${individualOtherIncome}

${familyOtherIncome}

Fixed expenses

Rent / mortgage and taxes

${individualRentExpense}

${familyRentExpense}

Electricity / heating

${individualPowerExpense}

${familyPowerExpense}

Telephone

${individualPhoneExpense}

${familyPhoneExpense}

Cable

${individualCableExpense}

${familyCableExpense}

Life insurance

${individualLifeInsuranceExpense}

${familyLifeInsuranceExpense}

Car insurance

${individualCarInsuranceExpense}

${familyCarInsuranceExpense}

Home insurance

${individualHomeInsuranceExpense}

${familyHomeInsuranceExpense}

License / registration

${individualLicenseExpense}

${familyLicenseExpense}

Daycare

${individualDayCareExpense}

${familyDayCareExpense}

Alimony

${individualChildSupportExpense}

${familyChildSupportExpense}

Loan payments

${individualLoanExpense}

${familyLoanExpense}

Credit cards

${individualCreditCardExpense}

${familyCreditCardExpense}

Payroll deductions

${individualSalaryExpense}

${familySalaryExpense}

Other

${individualOtherFixedExpense}

${familyOtherFixedExpense}

Variable expenses

Food

${individualFoodExpense}

${familyFoodExpense}

Transportation

${individualTransportExpense}

${familyTransportExpense}

Children's health / education

${individualChildrenExpense}

${familyChildrenExpense}

Prescriptions

${individualMedicationExpense}

${familyMedicationExpense}

Clothes

${individualClothesExpense}

${familyClothesExpense}

Home maintenance

${individualRepairsExpense}

${familyRepairsExpense}

Tobacco / alcohol

${individualTobaccoExpense}

${familyTobaccoExpense}

Leisure activities

${individualHobbyExpense}

${familyHobbyExpense}

Pocket money

${individualAllowanceExpense}

${familyAllowanceExpense}

Other

${individualOtherVariableExpense}

${familyOtherVariableExpense}

Totals

Individual: ${individualBudget}

Familiy : ${familyBudget}

You now have all the information you need to verify your saving and borrowing capacity!!

This simulation provides estimations only and does not involve the responsibility of the National Bank or its affiliates in any way.