Disclaimer, I’m not a financial guru or an expert to show you how to properly manage your money.
But I can show you how I personally budget my income. I will provide an excel screenshot showing my categories and hope that it will help you.
I used ‘Zero Budget’ on this. Meaning, every peso will be allocated into category and walang matitirang pera na nakalutang lang at walang purpose.
1. Categorize
I categorize my spending into 3 options. Savings/Sinking Funds, Fixed Expenses and Adjustable Expenses.
Yes, I look at my “Savings” as spending. It is just to trick my brain that this money is already gone and spent and will be safe from my pasaway hands.
2. Under Savings
I have many 2024 saving goals this year, but I prioritize my Emergency Fund. Because I prioritize my EF, all my saving goals are in pause. All my extra money will go to E.F. and if the targeted amount is achieved, then I can resume the other savings.
It is important to set a side emergency fund first before saving for your retirement or any investment.
Bakit? Click here to see why.
3. Fixed Expenses
Credit card debt, subscriptions, rent, kuryente, tubig and internet.
Kahit nagbabago bayad sa kuryente at tubig, I will still put fixed amount on this category and naiipon lang pagmerong sobra. I review last year bills and assume ko ung pinakamataas then roundup to hundreds.
4. Variable Expenses
Dito, pwede kahit anong expenses pwede iligay basta kasya pa pera mo. Just make sure na lahat ng pinaggagastusan mo is kasama. Kahit pangcandy lang yan every byahe mo. Kahit gano kaliit, need mo iconsider sa budget mo.
Under this category, I have my load, transportation, work food, other purchases.
Here is a screenshot of my personal budget. And yes, I have too many debt. And to avoid penalty fees (which is apaka laki), I always include them on my fixed expenses.
And also, some of them are divided into ‘Cash’ or ‘Digi’. For the cash option, I will withdraw them and put them into individual envelope. And for the Digi option, I transfer them immediately from my payroll account to allocated digital saving accounts.
Literally, seconds lang tinatagal ng pera ko sa payroll account ko. Every peso is nakabudget and I make sure that with-in budget lang talaga nagagastos ko. And if kumuha ako pera sa other category, ninonote ko un as “utang” and need bayaran sa sunod na sahod. Wierd ba? hahaha Let me know your thoughts.
