Can You Afford a New Huntsville Home? Learn to Budget

Many people go through life one paycheck to the next and never bother to figure out where their money is going. It's important to know where your money is going and what you can afford if you are thinking about buying a new Huntsville home.

Here's how to start up a monthly budget that will keep you in the know about where your money is running off to each month.

• Find a program you're comfortable using. Your computer probably came with a spreadsheet program. If you are not used to using one open it up and become familiar with the program. It's a great tool to use to create a budget. If by chance your computer doesn't have a spreadsheet program, you can use an online program like Budget Pulse, or other useful online budget systems such as Mvelopes.


• Enter your absolute monthly expenses such as car loans, utilities including cell phone bills, and credit card expenses.


• Enter your monthly bills that can vary such as food, gasoline, entertainment. These expenses can be changed to help improve your bottom line, but make sure you give them fair limits so you don't cut yourself short on necessities such as food or transportation costs.


• Make sure you figure in some savings for vacations and other unexpected expenses that may pop up throughout the year. Trimming your budget so severely that you have no extra money to cover you when something breaks down, or an extra bill comes in is a sure method for disaster and will make you new life in a Huntsville home miserable instead of the happy time it should be.

Once you realize where your money is going, it's easier to see if you are spending frivolously or strapped to your limits. It is the best way to determine if your dreams of a new Huntsville home are realistic or not.

If you have any questions about your ability to afford a new home, I can help. Call me today at 800-803-0053 or email me at mike@movetohuntsville.com.

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