Budgeting Basics

If you are asking yourself, "Where does all my money go?" perhaps a better question is, "Where should all my money be going?" If you are having difficulty making ends meet, you could benefit from a simple budget. A budget will help you set guidelines for spending money on both your needs and your wants. There are a host of good online resources to walk you through the process of setting up a budget and to give you overspending advice. FirstGov.org is a clearinghouse for state and federal personal finance and money management Web sites. Another site that is loaded with resources for household budgeting is MoneyManagement.org. Money Management is a nonprofit credit counseling agency with offices across the country. It recently acquired Consumer Credit Counseling Services, a well-respected organization that has offers classes, workshops, and publications in the area of family finance and budgeting. There is a wealth of free information available at Money Management's Web site, including a list of books and software that you can use to help you better manage your spending.