Have you ever sat down with a pen and paper and listed all of the things you pay for in one month? Don’t worry if you haven’t, but in order to get back on track, it’s an essential first step.

*WARNING* Do not be scared by this first step. A lot of people may have negative disposable income – which is where your expenditure (out-goings) outweigh your income.

It is important to be truthful in this first step. Then, if you know the facts you can see where you may be overspending and whether you can cut back on certain things. Top Tip! Bring up your online banking and use last month as an example.

Ok.

Try fill out this as truthfully as possible, save a copy!

*TOP TIPS*

• You don’t need to fill out all the boxes, just the ones applicable to you
• You may fill this out individually, or as a household (but remember if you complete the income as a household then you must also fill the expenditure as a household)
• Once you have the completed template, check your results at the bottom of the sheet
• Use this as a snapshot of your current circumstances, then have a play around! But make note of what you change so you can implement it in real life

Great! We assure you, that is the best first step and you are well on your way to getting your finances under control.

Now, we can move onto the next step. But it all depends on what your results. Please select one of the following options: