Generally, budgeting consists of the following three phases. Each stage can provide valuable insights into your business. 1. Research In this phase, you evaluate your revenue position, understand your business' cost structure and research on your competitors' businesses. 2. Analysis There is a need for you to analyze possible revenue and expenses for the next year, and at the same time, decide on one set of revenue and expenses to represent your expectations. Examples of these would be clothes and tax payments. You can leave your budget for an hour or so and come back to your checking, this way you can see things that you may have missed for the first time. A budget should not solely be concentrated on expenditures alone. In your home budgeting, include your income as well. You can use payroll deductions and bonus incomes, looking around for the best interest rates, and improving your spending habits. You can add up to your savings by doing little things that can help you: save lunch and coupon money, take advantage of sales, saving your loose change, and being willing to compromise especially when there are other bills that call for your attention and money. CUT THE CREDIT CARDS It is best if you don't use credit cards, or even own one. If you think you're responsible enough to use it in emergency situation, then leave one for those times. Buying a Gucci dress for a hot date isn't an emergency situation. Paying for school tuition fee or electric bills is a right example of emergency situation. An outside opinion can help. If it's your intimate relationship that is suffering from your money woes, you are not alone. Even perfectly matched and compatible couples can be driven mad by their partners' spending habits. Talk to your doctor about a marriage counselor who can guide you and your partner through this challenge. Without it you muddle through, unable to stay on course because you have no course charted and you have no equipment for steering through the currents that constantly swirl around you. Traditionally, many people managed their money by dividing their cash into several paper envelopes. These envelopes are for food, entertainment, utilities, insurance, vacation, etc.