Our encounters with debt situations and our introduction with the debt relief processes and debt settlement companies have not been a happy one for sure and somehow our lack of financial literacy and failure to manage personal finances, of which budgeting is the most important part, could be held responsible for those conditions. A budget plays a particularly important role when it comes to managing and keeping a track of household expenses and incomes. A practical and workable budget should show a sign of balance between flexibility and strictness to suit your financial requirements and situations. In order to create and follow a perfect household budget one needs to keep certain factors in mind. First of all, be flexible enough with your budget to allow space for unexpected expenses in it. Every month may look a little different, so having a fund within your budget to cover unexpected events is a good idea. Take inventory of things in and around your home that may need to be replaced or fixed in the future. So make room in your budget, which will provide space for unexpected expenses for household purposes. Before working out a budget it is important to track your spending. You can take a look at your bank statements from the previous months to see where you spend your money, but keep in mind this will not show any cash purchases. To get a more accurate picture of your spending habits, "The Beehive" suggests keeping all the receipts from purchases you make outside your normal monthly bills in one month. Balance these expenditures against your monthly income to see where the discrepancies are.

After you have tracked your spending, put all your expenditures into categories. Rent or mortgage and bills should be in a particular category, and other categories can include food, transportation, entertainment, savings, incidentals and school. Personalize your budget categories to your lifestyle. If you have college students, you might have a category for tuition or textbooks. Your budget will not look the same as your parents' or your friend's budgets, because you have different spending habits and needs. After composing a budget, take a look at where you can cut down on spending and where you may need to have more money available. This type of assessment should be done every few months. Be realistic with your spending goals. If you normally spend $500 a month on groceries, don't expect to reduce that to $200 to fit your budget. Find other expenses, like entertainment, that could be reduced to allow for a bigger food budget.

There are a number of books, software and websites available to assist in planning a budget. You can download a budget template or buy a workbook or software that allows you to track expenses and income. Moreover numerous online softwares are available which can help you create a relevant budget. To conclude with, one has to keep in mind that nothing of these can be materialized without a sincere intention and action which certainly is worthy of a good household budget.