Milwaukee Legal Aid: Creating a Monthly Budget

Making a monthly budget is the first essential task for any consumer after applying for debt reorganization or declaring bankruptcy. After your attorney has helped you eliminate your debts, your first goal should be to get back on track financially. To make a monthly budget that works for your needs and lifestyle, follow these simple guidelines.

Identify Your Expenses

The primary task in making any budget is simply to compare your income to your expenses. First, identify how you are currently spending money, and set goals that take into account your long-term financial objectives. To track your spending and make sure you stay within our budget, consider investing in a financial software program like Quicken or Microsoft Money.

Watch Your Cash

If you are like most people, keeping track of how much cash you spend can be a difficult task. But the first step to getting your finances on track is sticking to your budget, and it is nearly impossible to follow your financial plan when you forget to record daily cash expenditures, from dry cleaning to morning coffees to paying parking meters. Whenever possible, use a debit card instead of hitting the ATM to avoid cash leakage.

Analyze the Details

While it is not necessary to spend hours each day creating new lists and categories, it is important to watch out for what financial experts call spending creep. As your income begins to naturally increase due to promotions or investment payoffs, remember not to adjust your spending accordingly without taking a look at your original budget first. Chances are, other expenses like rent payments have also gone up.

If you have suddenly found yourself buried under a mountain of debt, you probably know firsthand just how exhausting creditor harassment can be. An attorney can put an immediate stop to foreclosure, stop repossessions, and end harassing phone calls. If you are in need of Milwaukee lgal aid, contact Burr Law Office at (877) 891-1638 to schedule a free consultation.