5. Create a budget
The process of budget making exercise will help you take control of your personal finances. A budget will help you track how money you receive, and how much money you spend and save. It helps you set spending limits and live within your means. It helps you find ways to reduce costs and have more money for things that are really important to you. It is especially important if:
* you don't save regularly
* you find that money is tight
* you don't know where your money is going
* you have problems clearing your debt
Create your budget around your income. If you have seasonal employment, you will need to have adequate savings for the periods of low or no income. To begin, you need to track every money you receive and the amount of money for your family to live. Every month, be determined to only spend that amount. Any extra should go into savings to help you get through the slower months. This will require extra efforts on the part of the whole family. Learning to stick to a budget can seem difficult at first, but the more you use your budget, the easier it becomes.
