Check The Budget

Budgeting Software

2007-09-15T12:11:00.000-05:00

Hello, and welcome to Check The Budget's official blog. Check the budget is the worlds easiest to use and most powerful budgeting software on the web. Not only is it easy to use and powerful, but it is FREE!

We will use this blog to cover tips on using this free budgeting software software as well as tips on how to effectively budget your money.

Pay Mortgage Off Early!

2007-09-15T15:13:00.000-05:00

Do you want to pay your mortgage off early? I have found a really cool Microsoft Excel template that allows you to play what if scenarios with extra payments. You can download this cool amortization spreadsheet from my website or you can download it where I got it at Office.Microsoft.Com . You will be amazed how much interest just a little extra each month will add up to.

Budgeting to Reach Goals

2007-09-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

As with most things in life, it is best to define the problem before attempting to develop a solution. A budget may sound tedious, boring, and restrictive. It is far from that. We budget because we want certain things in our lives. We are saving for a new car, a new home, or to build up a safety net. Or we budget because we definitely don't want other things such as bankruptcy, foreclosure, debt. So, don't think of a budget as something to deny you the things you want, but rather think of it as the tool that enables you to get the things you want! A budget is an enabling tool, not a limiting tool.

Budgeting is Communicating

2007-09-21T11:53:00.000-05:00

A budget is so important as a communication tool for a family. Once agreed upon, it will prevent many a heated discussion over finances and purchases, which is one of the leading causes of divorce today. Where you used to have to discuss every purchase, not you just say "Check The Budget" when a decision is necessary to purchase some item. If there is not enough money in the budget, the decision is made without all the emotion.

Budgeting - Getting Started

2007-09-22T04:19:00.000-05:00

One of the first steps to get started budgeting is tracking your current spending. Check The Budget is a great place to do this. All you have to do is start entering transactions. As you enter your transactions, you can assign the money to the appropriate budget category. After a month or two, you will have a good idea about how much you are spending in each budget category. From that point, you can begin to adjust your spending in these categories to better reflect your plans, values, and goals.

Budgeting for Large Expenses

2007-09-22T04:32:00.000-05:00

One of the most important functions of a budget is to enable you to plan for expenses that come up once a year. This would include items like insurance, Christmas savings, taxes, etc. Look back through your checkbook and see what items you need to be planning to save for. Then add them all up and divide by 12 to see what you need to save each month to meet these obligations.

Check The Budget

2007-09-22T05:02:00.000-05:00

The fundamental principal of our Check The Budget software is kind of like an envelop system. You add money into a budget when you receive income. You subtract money from a budget when you spend it. This way you never spend more than you have even though you are using a variety of payment methods (cash, credit, check, etc). Budgeting really is as simple as that. With our budgeting software, you never have to carry around envelops full of cash. Just spend as conveniently as you always have, keep your receipts, and enter the receipts when you get home. Soon we'll be adding a screen to our mobile screens to allow you to enter the transaction with your mobile device.