Not all spending plans or budgets are created equal.  The idea is to find the one that is right for you.  The important thing is that you keep track of all your expenses because then you can begin to change your spending patterns.  A spending plan or budget calculator can help you put together a budget.  Here are some spending plan and budget calculators that we’ve found:

Spending Plan Online Calculator at Crown Financial Ministries.  With this calculator you enter your gross income, tithe, and tax, and a sample budget is generated for you.  This is the best calculator to use if you have never done a budget before and have no idea of your current expenses by category.  This calculator provides you with some recommendations by expense category and can be a good baseline to forming your budget.  The Crown Financial Ministries site is also full of good, solid, money management advice. 
 
Budget Calculator at Consumer Credit Counseling.   Income from each spouse as well as all expenses by category are entered into this budget calculator.  You can only use this one if you already have been tracking your expenses and know what they are by category (how much you spend on rent/mortage, food, auto, insurance, etc.)  A budget is generated which shows your actual spending versus the recommended budgeted amounts and shows the difference between the two.

Budget Calculator at CNN.com - Requires you to enter your income information and expenses by category.  Provides subtotals as well as recommendations for budgeted amounts.  

One important element in regard to your budget is to track all your spending.  We use Quicken software but there are many other ways to do this as well.  You can even just use a notebook or make a spreadsheet.  The important point is that you monitor your spending by category so you will know how much money you have spent in different areas.  How much do you spend on rent/mortgage, your food costs both in groceries and in dining out, insurance, etc.  Making your budget is just part of what you’ll need to do to manage your money; tracking your expenses is crucial to see where you can save more and spend less.   

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