Editors Note: This article we published over at TheFrugalite.com seems particularly important right now. If you are being hit hard by current economic factors‚ its time to take control of everything you can. Getting yourself on a budget and sticking to it is an important step toward personal financial stability. We cant control the overall economy‚ but there are many things within our own budgets we can control. I hope you find this advice useful and inspiring! ~ Daisy When it comes to sticking to a budget‚ it can get pretty difficult. Especially if its something youre not used to. That being said‚ having a budget that you keep track of regularly can do wonders for your finances. Not only will it help you spend less (especially on impulse buys)‚ but it will also help to give you a better understanding of your finances in general. Not sure how to make a budget? Daisy has a great article here. While there are countless tips and tricks to sticking to a budget‚ here are 4 that work best for me and 3 reasons why having and keeping track of your budget is vital to your financial well being. 1. Make it easy Doing things to make your budget easier also helps make coming back to your budget easier. One of my favorite ways to do this is by using ready-made budget sheets and debt trackerslike the ones Ive designed. These make it super easy to fill in the details and organize them in a binder. When you have a system‚ especially one that requires less preparation to set up‚ it also means it will take less time and effort to maintain. 2. Make it fun Money can stress out many people‚ especially if theyre in the process of getting their finances on track. After all‚ we often procrastinate on the things we struggle with. When you take the time to make your budget fun‚ it can make it less stressful and a bit more enjoyable. One of my favorite ways to do this is by using fun budget trackers like theseand adding lots of bright colors as I fill them out. What can I say? Im a colorful person! Another way to make it fun is to do it alongside something you enjoy. For example‚ every time you sit to do your budget‚ you could warm up one of your favorite baked goods with a nice cup of tea to enjoy. Or‚ you could treat yourself to an episode of your favorite tv shows‚ or a movie youve been looking forward to on a streaming service you already use. 3. Schedule it Having a standard schedule that you stick to for budget upkeep is extremely important. What that schedule looks like may differ‚ but the fact remains that having a set time will help. Personally‚ I like to do my budgeting on Sundays. Once a month‚ Ill do a big monthly budget overview for the coming month about a week before the first of the next month. I also like to touch base on my budget weekly to make sure Im staying on track‚ write down my expenses and bills Ive paid‚ and jot down any notes for upcoming expenses I might have. (A yearly expense tracker is great for this!) How and when you schedule time to focus on your budget can differ a lot depending on how many people are involved in the finances. Maybe there are only a couple of days a month when everyone can be home and sit down to look‚ or maybe its something that has to be looked at in the evening after work. To stay on schedule‚ I personally write down in my planner and my phone calendar (which sends me reminders) when I plan to sit down and work on my budget. When its written down‚ Im much more likely to stay committed. 4. Get accountability Accountability for anything can make a huge difference‚ especially something as important as finances. As a single person with no dependents‚ I dont have accountability within my home‚ but I do have friends to whom I stay accountable. This doesnt mean I tell them everything about my finances‚ but rather just a quick Hey‚ updated my budget today‚ have you done yours this week? Though‚ well often go more in-depth. If‚ unlike me‚ you live in a household with partners or people you share finances with‚ keeping each other on track and setting regular meetings as a family will help a lot. I firmly believe that kids should be taught about money and budgets‚ and since most public school systems dont touch on it much‚ it usually falls to parents or family to teach. When you include your kids in your regular budgeting sessions‚ not only will it help them gain a grasp on money early on‚ but if its something they enjoy‚ theres no way theyll let you forget about your weekly budget meeting! If your kiddos are still a little too young to grasp the household budget‚ if they receive an allowance‚ it would be great to sit down with them and help them budget their allowance before moving on to your own finances. Youll have a better understanding of your finances When you pay attention to your finances‚ you start to understand them better. Youll recognize patterns in your spending‚ and youll also be more knowledgeable about the things you actually need and the things you buy and dont need. When you notice where you spend your money‚ it often helps to make it easier to cut back on the things you dont want to be purchasing‚ and instead‚ helps you decide where youd be better off spend your money. It also makes the choice easier when its all laid out on paper in front of you. This doesnt mean you shouldnt have fun money‚ or money dedicated to eating out or a bit of shopping‚ but it does mean planning it ahead of time. Give yourself a set amount monthly or weekly for those types of things. Out of sight‚ out of mind When it comes to finances‚ the saying out of sight‚ out of mind often comes to my mind. Not only is it relevant to finances but to most things in life (after all‚ versions of the phrase have been used since the 1500s‚ if not earlier). When you dont pay attention to what youre spending regularly‚ it gets very easy to lose track and spend more than you intended. On the other hand‚ if you regularly look at your budget and finances‚ even if its just a quick glance‚ it keeps it at the forefront. It helps you to remember and stay on track as the month progresses. I keep my trackers in plain view‚ on my fridge with colorful magnets. The more you do it‚ the easier it gets And lastly‚ I like to think of finances and budgeting like a muscle. Just like any muscle‚ the more you use it‚ the stronger it gets. The more you practice‚ the better youll get at managing your money. This doesnt mean youll do perfectly in your first month; heck‚ it may even take a few months to really get the hang of it. But‚ if you dedicate the time and energy to consistently using and sticking to a budget‚ it will start to get easier. What are your budget tips and tricks? With the importance of budgets‚ the variety of ways to maintain them‚ and tricks to stay consistent‚ Im sure Ive missed some on this list. What are your favorite ways to stay on track with your budget? Have you tried things that havent worked for you? Lets discuss this in the comments! About Chloe Morgan Chloe Morgan grew up living with a tight budget. In her late teens and early 20s‚ all the lessons shed learned started to slip‚ like it does for many college-age students on their own for the first time with their first credit card. As shes gotten older‚ shes started to deal with the repercussions and has taken on a frugal way of living‚ keeping her costs low‚ as she pays off debt and saves for her future. Chloe lives in Northern Ontario‚ Canada‚ with her dog‚ Rhea. Check out her work on TheOrganicPrepper.com and TheFrugalite.com where she writes about food‚ frugality‚ finances‚ and self-reliance‚ or her work on Medium‚ where she writes about lifestyle‚ mental health‚ and writing. The post 4 Tips to Help You Stick to Your Monthly Budget appeared first on The Organic Prepper.