SHARED FAMILY FINANCIAL PLANNING

I've observed that very few families understand that financial management of their household is not a pastime to be attended to by just one partner when the spirit moves. It is a serious business requiring skill, planning and control and above all a sharing of responsibilities.
So, how about scheduling adequate prime time for a family conference when the following agenda should be discussed amicably and mutually acted upon. But just a few rules to be observed:
1. No arguments or recriminations about the past.
2. No apportioning blame over what has previously happened.
3. No negative thinking - look for the possibilities.
4. Be the first to say "sorry."
5. Be totally honest and willing to change.
6. Be methodical.
OK, let's start the meeting:
SOLVE THE PRESENT:
Until you plan your spending over the ensuing twelve months to discover what weekly surplus you will have, you will never achieve financial freedom. Your spending will continue to be haphazard. First you need to divide proposed expenditure into three main categories and arrive at a weekly total for each.
A. Committed Payments
B. Housekeeping, His and Her Allowances, Petrol, Giving
C. Contingencies, Holiday Spending and Special Savings.
BALANCE WITH INCOME:
All income should be paid into one Bank account which will be used for items in "C" category.
From this account weekly automatic payments replenish the other two accounts ("B" & "A")
DO-IT-YOURSELF FINANCIAL PLAN
I have a plan on a computer disk using Microsoft Excell with full instructions and hints that you can insert your proposed figures in each category, trigger the calculating icon and up comes a weekly surplus or shortfall. While on the computer you can make adjustments to balance the budget with a reasonable surplus. There is a Setting Up Diagram that automatically includes your figures so you can set up the system with your preferred Bank.
Retaining the PLAN on your computer allows you to make necessary adjustments and gives you the capacity to make larger spending decisions. Revised figures put in will determine if you would still have a reasonable surplus.
(I sell the disc and will post it anywhere for the price of NZ$40)

BUCK POUND'S MONEY TALKS

Why talk about money? It's not just the talk of the rich but so often the dream and aspiration of the poor as well. It can be the topic at home, at work and on the sports field and it seems to have invaded the privacy of us all.
Money talks about us. It talks about our characters, our upbringing and attitudes more than we realise. Money is valuable for what it can do. It can purchase the necessities of life - food, clothing and shelter. It can also purchase the luxuries of life - prosperity, pleasure and power. Money is valuable, not only for what it can do but also for what it represents. Our money represents ourselves. It represents our time, energy and skill. Money is nothing more than a person converted into dollars and cents.
Because money talks about us, we ought to talk about money and get it into the right perspective.
How much is enough? We all have our aims and goals especially in the monetary field. Yet so often when we achieve our goal we extrend it further and further revealing the salutary fact that we never seem to have enough to satisfy our desires and wants. For many couples the early years of marriage are the best. The lack of money and a common purpose seems to draw them closer to each other. Without too many material possessions they are free to enjoy each other because there is little else to distract them. As their financial status changes they shift their attention from each other to outside matters. Pressures to achieve in business and sport can often generate financial pressures and these in turn can drive a wedge between husband and wife. So money in itself doesn't bring happiness. In fact I have come to the conclusion that the salary you earn can be inversely proportional to the satisfaction you receive. Maybe it's time to call a halt in the sometimes compulsive drive to generate more and more income. Instead we could learn to live beter on the income we receive.
The key is money management. We should know exactly where we stand financially at all times instead of just the usual guesswork.
In future articles I will show you how to get control over the money that passes through your hands.

Create Your Own Budget Plan

For over thirty years I have been helping people of many different cultures to balance their financial plan. It's easy when you know how.

I have this available to people on disk but in this site I am wanting to identify the key principles so that ordinary people like you and me might make the money go around.