UNEMPLOYED How You Can Live on Less

How to Develop a Budget

(1) Write down your essential monthly expenses.   Keep a record for one full month of all that you spend on food, housing, (rent or mortgage),utility bills, car expenses, and the like.  For bills that are annually,divide by 12 for the monthly amount. 

(2) Organize expenses into categories.  These include food, housing, automobile, and travel costs, and so forth. 

(3) Figure out how much of your savings must be applied monthly to each category.   With bills paid annually, you must "calculate" how much needs to be put aside each month.  

(4) Write down the combined  net earnings of all in your household. Subtract deductions such as taxes. Compare this with the expenses.  

(5) Set aside monthly the amount needed to satisfy each category.   If using cash, a simple way is to mark envelopes for each category.  Then periodically place cash in the appropriate envelope needed to cover the designated expense. 

Caution. If you use a credit card, do so responsibly!  Many a budget plan has been ruined by the temptation to 'buy now, pay later.'

Do Not Isolate Yourself

Many who lose their job become withdrawn and isolate themselves. But not so with Fred! He found empathetic support from his family, including his grown children.  "We learned to share a lot with one another, and this drew us  closer," he says.  "All of us felt,  'We're in this together.' "

Fred also found strength from fellow Christians when he regularly met with them at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.  "At the end of our Christian meetings, I always felt encouraged," he says.  "Everyone was so kind and considerate.  Because of their help and comfort,we realized that we were not alone." -John 13:35. 

Next time: UNEMPLOYED? How You Can Live on Less - Benefits of Faith

From the Awake! magazine