Do you find that your money seems to slip through your fingers? Have you ever thought about preparing a budget plan, but put it in the ‘too hard’ basket? Doing a budget and having a plan for your money isn’t difficult, and it can help you do the things you really want. We’ve included a fold-out budget planner at the front of this handbook to help you work out how much you earn and what you spend it on. Start by writing down all of your income and all of your expenses. You’ll need to decide whether your budget will be a weekly, fortnightly or monthly guide. Some people like to match their budget to their pay period. Once you’ve decided, make sure all the numbers you write down are for the same time period. When you’ve worked out your income and expenses, you’ll be able to see how much regular income you get and where that money goes over your chosen time period. Take away your total expenses from your total income to get your result.