- 1). Collect the bills and billing information for all of your household expenses. Make sure you have the billing date and due date for each of them. Call the companies and see if you can move your payment due dates to within the week that you receive your check. This way all of your basic bills will be taken care of each month during the first week. Also check to see if they offer budget billing so that the amounts will be the same each month. This helps a great deal when you're living on a set amount and the basic bills tend to fluctuate.
- 2). Figure out how much money you need to allow for groceries, gas and other personal expenditures. Keep a running total of your money as you're planning, so that you'll be able to see what you need to allot for each week of the month after your bills are paid.
- 3). Mark on a large calendar exactly what needs to be paid and when so that you don't miss any important payments or run out of money.
- 4). Remember to allow a buffer for unexpected issues. If you can save a few dollars each month, you will eventually have a good backup savings account.
- 5). Live by the budget. If you can't afford it, don't buy it. You will need to sit down at the beginning of each month and plan out your expenditures again to continue to live within your means.