• Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Saving Cent by Cent

Helping Families Save Money Cent by Cent

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Finances
    • Saving Money
    • Budgeting
    • Buying Groceries on a Budget
    • Debt
  • Frugal
    • Frugal Ideas
    • Grocery Tips
    • Meal Plan
    • DIY
  • Family & Home
    • Travel & Vacation
    • Organization
    • Cleaning
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Main Dish
      • Chicken
      • Beef
      • Pork
      • Slow Cooker
      • Other
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
    • Soups
    • Side Dish
    • Bread
    • Canning & Preserving
    • List of Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • Contact
    • Media & Features

5 Tips on How to Maintain a Budget

May 21, 2013 by Lisa Park + 6 Comments

Maintain a Budget
Last week, I posted 5 Tips on How to Set a Budget. Now this week, we’ll discuss how to Maintain a Budget.

Creating a budget isn’t very difficult to do, it’s maintaining the budget that is the challenge. Maintaining a personal budget requires discipline, flexibility and regular attention.  It usually starts with good intentions, but it’s easy to place it aside and not look at it again. Below are tips to help you maintain a successful budget.

1. Stay Positive
If you think of budgeting as a chore you’ll find that it is extremely difficult to keep it going. Stay focused on the positive aspects of having a budget such as what benefits you’ll receive by maintaining a budget. This could be saving money for a family vacation, retirement, a new home, or getting out of debt sooner. Budgeting is the tool to reach your financial short-term and long-term goals.

2. Be Realistic
Set goals that are challenging, yet realistic. If you set your goals too high, you’ll just get discourage when you fail to reach them. Begin by setting bite-size goals that will help you reach your bigger goals. This will help keep your goals manageable.

3. Keep the Budget with You
Carry a hard copy or easily accessible electronic copy of your budget with you. If you see a new outfit you want to buy, you can look to see if you’ve got the budget for it. If you don’t have enough in your budget, then you can either sacrifice something else to get it, or walk away and wait until the next month when you do have enough in the budget.

4. Review Budget Regularly
On a regular basis, sit down to review your budget to see if you are on track and whether the budget is realistic. If you continually exceed your limits in one category, then re-evaluate what you are doing and adjust the amount allowed on your budget as needed. This may mean that you’ll have to sacrifice other items in order to give yourself more budget in that category.

5. Reward Yourself
Sometimes the budget will become too much of a routine, and you lose motivation and become complacent. Make sure to budget some money to go out and have fun. Just a small amount of money set aside, so you can go out to eat a few times a month or go to a movie each month, will help you feel balanced.

Also, look for something that will push you to reach your goals. For example, if you have a goal to pay off your car in 12 months, challenge yourself to pay it off in 11 months. If you are able to do it, reward yourself with something you enjoy.

If you can continue to push yourself to reach your goals, you’ll be able to keep the motivation needed to maintain your budget.

Do you have any tips on how to maintain a budget?

And here is another article about finances:
How to Effectively Talk Finances with Your Spouse

Filed Under: Budgeting, Money-Saving Tips, Saving Money

Comments

  1. Alyssa says

    May 29, 2013 at 11:42 pm

    I use YNAB which is a budgeting software that allows me to have it with me all the time, even on my Iphone. LOVE IT!

    Reply
    • Lisa Park says

      May 31, 2013 at 8:00 pm

      Good to know. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  2. Bonnie and Trish @ Uncommon says

    June 2, 2013 at 12:56 am

    Great reminders once that budget is set! Thanks for sharing with us this week at Monday Funday!

    Take care,

    Trish

    Reply
    • Lisa Park says

      June 7, 2013 at 4:08 am

      Thanks for stopping by

      Reply
  3. Debi Bolocofsky says

    June 4, 2013 at 11:56 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing with Wednesday’s Adorned From Above Blog Hop. We hope to see you at this weeks party starting at 8:00PM tonight.
    Debi and Charly
    http://www.adornedfromabove.com

    Reply
    • Lisa Park says

      June 7, 2013 at 4:12 am

      Thanks for stopping by. I will make sure to drop by your blog hop regularly.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Hello, I'm Lisa

I enjoy teaching people how to live frugally so they can live within their means while still enjoying and doing the things in life that matter most to them. I'm here sharing tips about budgeting, saving money, meal planning, simple recipes, and more.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Subscribe!

Sign up below to receive money-saving tips, frugal ideas, family-friendly recipes, and more.




Thank you for subscribing!


Archives

Archives

Categories

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Lisa Park is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
If you want a fun treat for St. Patrick's Day, mak If you want a fun treat for St. Patrick's Day, make these yummy green cookies. They are really easy to make!

Message me for the recipe or use the link below.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2018/03/09/st-patricks-day-cookies/

#stpatricksdaycookies #stpatricksday #greencookies #greentreats #stpatricks #stpatrickscookies
I recently picked up the 31-pound Mixed Staples bo I recently picked up the 31-pound Mixed Staples box from the Food and Meat Co-op. I love the high-quality variety of meats and that it’s prepackaged and ready to go straight into the freezer.

For those of you in Northern Utah, if any of you want to try the Staples boxes, use the code savingcent10 to get $10 off.

Also this month, the Food and Meat Co-op is featuring convenience foods and easy meal options such as chicken nuggets, corn dogs (regular and gluten free), restaurant-quality sweet and sour pork meal kits, and orange meal kits. It’s nice to have quick and easy meals on busy days!

The pickup day for orders is between March 23-25 depending on where you live in Northern Utah.

https://foodandmeatcoop.com/tooele
Are you wanting to get out of debt or save up a do Are you wanting to get out of debt or save up a down payment for a home? Do you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck or save for a big family vacation? Determine what is motivating you to set some financial goals.

Once you determine your goal, determine how much money to save each month, then break it down to how much to save per week. You may not be able to save $500 a month, but maybe you can save $200 a month. That means you would set aside $50 a week.

Some things you could do to save this money is don’t eat out, cut your grocery bill down, don’t go to the convenience store to grab a drink, or cut out subscription services.

It’s the small changes that make a difference over time.

For more tips, visit my website.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2021/01/05/how-to-create-a-budget-free-budget-worksheet/

#budget #budgeting #financialgoal #finances
We are having these Oven Baked Tacos this week for We are having these Oven Baked Tacos this week for dinner. It's an easy meal to make!

To make this meal even faster, prepare the ground beef in advance by cooking it earlier in the week. You can then put the cooked meat in the fridge or freezer and pull it out when you are ready to use it.

Click the link below for the recipe, or message me, and I'll send you the recipe.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2013/10/18/oven-baked-tacos/

#tacos #bakedtacos #ovenbakedtacos #easydinneridea #easymealideas #easymealidea #easydinners #easymeals
If you have always wanted to go to Disneyland, or If you have always wanted to go to Disneyland, or if you have plans to travel there in the near future, check out these tips on how to go to Disneyland on a budget.

I share tips of where to purchase tickets, how to use Genie+, where to find hotels in Anaheim, how to save money on food, and more. Plus, I’m sharing tips how to plan out your days, and I share Disneyland and California Adventure itinerary ideas.

Use the link below or message me for the link to the Disneyland post.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2023/02/12/how-to-go-to-disneyland-on-a-budget/

#disneyland #disneylandtips #disneylandtipsandtricks #californiaadventure #californiaadventuretips #disneylandbudget #budgetdisneyland #savemoneyondisneyland
These slow cooker French Dip Sandwiches are on my These slow cooker French Dip Sandwiches are on my meal plan for this week. And it's so easy to make! You just need 10 minutes to put it together in the morning. Then let it cook all day.

I've tried a bunch of French dip Sandwiches, and this recipe is by far my favorite. My family also loves this meal.

The link to the recipe is below or message me and I'll send you the recipe.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2015/05/29/best-slow-cooker-french-dip-sandwiches/

#frenchdip #frenchdipsandwich #easydinnerideas #easymeal #easydinners #easymeals
If you want a fun treat for St. Patrick's Day, mak If you want a fun treat for St. Patrick's Day, make these yummy green cookies. They are really easy to make!

Message me for the recipe or use the link below.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2018/03/09/st-patricks-day-cookies/

#stpatricksdaycookies #stpatricksday #greencookies #greentreats #stpatricks #stpatrickscookies
I recently picked up the 31-pound Mixed Staples bo I recently picked up the 31-pound Mixed Staples box from the Food and Meat Co-op. I love the high-quality variety of meats and that it’s prepackaged and ready to go straight into the freezer.

For those of you in Northern Utah, if any of you want to try the Staples boxes, use the code savingcent10 to get $10 off.

Also this month, the Food and Meat Co-op is featuring convenience foods and easy meal options such as chicken nuggets, corn dogs (regular and gluten free), restaurant-quality sweet and sour pork meal kits, and orange meal kits. It’s nice to have quick and easy meals on busy days!

The pickup day for orders is between March 23-25 depending on where you live in Northern Utah.

https://foodandmeatcoop.com/tooele
Are you wanting to get out of debt or save up a do Are you wanting to get out of debt or save up a down payment for a home? Do you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck or save for a big family vacation? Determine what is motivating you to set some financial goals.

Once you determine your goal, determine how much money to save each month, then break it down to how much to save per week. You may not be able to save $500 a month, but maybe you can save $200 a month. That means you would set aside $50 a week.

Some things you could do to save this money is don’t eat out, cut your grocery bill down, don’t go to the convenience store to grab a drink, or cut out subscription services.

It’s the small changes that make a difference over time.

For more tips, visit my website.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2021/01/05/how-to-create-a-budget-free-budget-worksheet/

#budget #budgeting #financialgoal #finances
We are having these Oven Baked Tacos this week for We are having these Oven Baked Tacos this week for dinner. It's an easy meal to make!

To make this meal even faster, prepare the ground beef in advance by cooking it earlier in the week. You can then put the cooked meat in the fridge or freezer and pull it out when you are ready to use it.

Click the link below for the recipe, or message me, and I'll send you the recipe.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2013/10/18/oven-baked-tacos/

#tacos #bakedtacos #ovenbakedtacos #easydinneridea #easymealideas #easymealidea #easydinners #easymeals
If you have always wanted to go to Disneyland, or If you have always wanted to go to Disneyland, or if you have plans to travel there in the near future, check out these tips on how to go to Disneyland on a budget.

I share tips of where to purchase tickets, how to use Genie+, where to find hotels in Anaheim, how to save money on food, and more. Plus, I’m sharing tips how to plan out your days, and I share Disneyland and California Adventure itinerary ideas.

Use the link below or message me for the link to the Disneyland post.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2023/02/12/how-to-go-to-disneyland-on-a-budget/

#disneyland #disneylandtips #disneylandtipsandtricks #californiaadventure #californiaadventuretips #disneylandbudget #budgetdisneyland #savemoneyondisneyland
These slow cooker French Dip Sandwiches are on my These slow cooker French Dip Sandwiches are on my meal plan for this week. And it's so easy to make! You just need 10 minutes to put it together in the morning. Then let it cook all day.

I've tried a bunch of French dip Sandwiches, and this recipe is by far my favorite. My family also loves this meal.

The link to the recipe is below or message me and I'll send you the recipe.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2015/05/29/best-slow-cooker-french-dip-sandwiches/

#frenchdip #frenchdipsandwich #easydinnerideas #easymeal #easydinners #easymeals
If you want a fun treat for St. Patrick's Day, mak If you want a fun treat for St. Patrick's Day, make these yummy green cookies. They are really easy to make!

Message me for the recipe or use the link below.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2018/03/09/st-patricks-day-cookies/

#stpatricksdaycookies #stpatricksday #greencookies #greentreats #stpatricks #stpatrickscookies
I recently picked up the 31-pound Mixed Staples bo I recently picked up the 31-pound Mixed Staples box from the Food and Meat Co-op. I love the high-quality variety of meats and that it’s prepackaged and ready to go straight into the freezer.

For those of you in Northern Utah, if any of you want to try the Staples boxes, use the code savingcent10 to get $10 off.

Also this month, the Food and Meat Co-op is featuring convenience foods and easy meal options such as chicken nuggets, corn dogs (regular and gluten free), restaurant-quality sweet and sour pork meal kits, and orange meal kits. It’s nice to have quick and easy meals on busy days!

The pickup day for orders is between March 23-25 depending on where you live in Northern Utah.

https://foodandmeatcoop.com/tooele
Are you wanting to get out of debt or save up a do Are you wanting to get out of debt or save up a down payment for a home? Do you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck or save for a big family vacation? Determine what is motivating you to set some financial goals.

Once you determine your goal, determine how much money to save each month, then break it down to how much to save per week. You may not be able to save $500 a month, but maybe you can save $200 a month. That means you would set aside $50 a week.

Some things you could do to save this money is don’t eat out, cut your grocery bill down, don’t go to the convenience store to grab a drink, or cut out subscription services.

It’s the small changes that make a difference over time.

For more tips, visit my website.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2021/01/05/how-to-create-a-budget-free-budget-worksheet/

#budget #budgeting #financialgoal #finances
We are having these Oven Baked Tacos this week for We are having these Oven Baked Tacos this week for dinner. It's an easy meal to make!

To make this meal even faster, prepare the ground beef in advance by cooking it earlier in the week. You can then put the cooked meat in the fridge or freezer and pull it out when you are ready to use it.

Click the link below for the recipe, or message me, and I'll send you the recipe.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2013/10/18/oven-baked-tacos/

#tacos #bakedtacos #ovenbakedtacos #easydinneridea #easymealideas #easymealidea #easydinners #easymeals
If you have always wanted to go to Disneyland, or If you have always wanted to go to Disneyland, or if you have plans to travel there in the near future, check out these tips on how to go to Disneyland on a budget.

I share tips of where to purchase tickets, how to use Genie+, where to find hotels in Anaheim, how to save money on food, and more. Plus, I’m sharing tips how to plan out your days, and I share Disneyland and California Adventure itinerary ideas.

Use the link below or message me for the link to the Disneyland post.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2023/02/12/how-to-go-to-disneyland-on-a-budget/

#disneyland #disneylandtips #disneylandtipsandtricks #californiaadventure #californiaadventuretips #disneylandbudget #budgetdisneyland #savemoneyondisneyland
These slow cooker French Dip Sandwiches are on my These slow cooker French Dip Sandwiches are on my meal plan for this week. And it's so easy to make! You just need 10 minutes to put it together in the morning. Then let it cook all day.

I've tried a bunch of French dip Sandwiches, and this recipe is by far my favorite. My family also loves this meal.

The link to the recipe is below or message me and I'll send you the recipe.

https://savingcentbycent.com/2015/05/29/best-slow-cooker-french-dip-sandwiches/

#frenchdip #frenchdipsandwich #easydinnerideas #easymeal #easydinners #easymeals

Copyright © 2023 · Daphne · Designed by Designer Blogs