如何 量入为出

If you want to meet your financial goals, retire or just not be in perpetual debt, it’s important to live within your means – or better yet, 入不敷出. Living within your means is when you spend no more than what you earn in a month. And when you’re living 入不敷出 and spending less than you earn in a month, you’re able to save for the future – for things like retirement, 梦幻假期, a down payment for a house or car, 或者一个 应急基金.

Living within your means is more than just adding up numbers – it means taking responsibility for your finances and choosing where your money goes, instead of being influenced by wishes, 广告, 旧的习惯, 或者消极的同伴压力. 如果你量入为出, you buy things if you can pay for them now or by the end of the month – with the exception of larger purchases like cars and homes. Choosing to live within your means is an excellent way of building your financial well-being.

The first things to do are determine exactly what 你必须花费 each month, and then know how much your expenses are. Check out the suggestions below, as well as our article on 制定预算 (还有那个 修改预算).

知道有多少 你必须花费

第一个, you have to know how much you have available to spend. If you’re working, knowing your annual salary or hourly rate isn’t sufficient. You need to know how much you’re actually taking home (hopefully via direct deposit!) after taxes, insurance and other withholdings are removed. In other words, you need to know your take-home pay, or your net income. If you don’t earn wages but instead receive retirement disbursements or disability payments, you should look at your monthly income from those sources. And if you receive alimony or other benefits, include that as well.

For most people, it’s easiest to determine income and spending on a monthly basis.

• 每月支付 - So if you get paid twice per month, add up your take-home pay from both paychecks.
• 偶尔支付或每周支付 - If you get paid only in certain months or on a weekly basis, figure out how much that translates to each month – and make sure you’re accounting for all 12 months of the year.

花更少的 而不是你所拥有的

Once you know how much you receive in income each month, figure out what your expenses are. Be honest about what you actually spend, and be truthful with yourself about what’s a want and what’s a need. ”然后, 如果你还没有的话, create a budget that will help you plan your monthly expenses and keep them less than your monthly income.

不要依赖信用 卡片

If you’re relying on 信用卡 to pay your monthly bills or day-to-day expenses, then you’re not living within your means (unless you’re paying those 卡片 in full each month every month). When you plan your monthly spending, completely rule out 信用卡 作为维持生计的一种方式. Keep in mind these facts about 信用卡:

• 信贷 卡片 come with interest – so today’s $16 lunch out may end up costing you $20 once you’re done paying the balance off with interest.
• 信贷 卡片 are unreliable as a source of income since your financial institution could decrease your credit limit or even close your credit card in the event you don’t keep up with payments.
• 信用卡有额度限制, so if you keep charging more than you’re paying, you’ll eventually run out of available credit.

上车吧 存钱的做法

It’s tempting to use 信用卡 for large purchases you can’t afford to pay for outright, 就像一台新电视. But doing this is usually bad for your financial well-being. 第一个, that kind of purchase usually entails interest, so you end up paying more than the item is worth. Second, the practice encourages you to get into the bad habit of spending money you don’t have. 而不是, 为购物攒钱, putting aside some money each month until you’ve saved up enough to buy the item outright. If you can’t afford to save up for the purchase, then you can’t afford to buy it.