James P Christensen and Clint Combs offer a simple and practical budgeting system that you can apply to any income level. The book teaches basic principals that can be used a foundation for all other methods of budgeting. It is a must read for people just starting to take control of their finances.
Pros
- Simple step-by-step instructions for setting up a budget
- Great easy to use system
- Inspirational stories throughout the book
Cons
- The book is dated (published 1986), but the advice is sound
- The system is manual so you can't use it on the computer
Guide Review
This book is a must read for anyone who is trying to understand why and how to budget. It takes you through setting up a budget step-by-step. The authors do a good job explaining the importance of budgeting and the best ways to avoid making budgeting errors.
The system that the authors give you can be kept in your checkbook. It is a little booklet that looks similar to a checkbook register. You subtract out of each category as you spend the money. It allows you to simply tell how much you have at all times. It can be a little time consuming to fill out, but if you do it as you complete each transaction it is not too bad. The ease of debit cards can make this system a little bit more awkward since you are not usually paying with a check.
You can order the booklets to keep with your checkbook or you can simply apply the advice that you will read in this book to another system. The Budget software by Snowmint is easily compatible with the skills taught in this book.
The magic of this system is that it can be applied to any income level and help you to make the most of your money. Only seventy five pages long, this book is a quick read. It truly is worth your time, if you are struggling to put together a workable budget for yourself.
