Especially after becoming a single mom and being the sole provider for my boys— managing finances can get overwhelming when you're juggling work, taking care of the kids, and just trying to get through the month. 👩🏻👦🏻👦🏻
I'm a small business owner and currently do my own accounting (with some help from my accountant/CPA that I've been working with for the last 3 tax seasons).
What has helped me A LOT is using my ✨Monthly Budget Tracker Template✨ (Attached below). At the end of the current month, I fill it out to plan for the upcoming month.
This season looks a little bit different in our family. I may be a booked out tattoo artist, but that doesn't mean we're spending money like that! Rent, utilities, health insurance, car payments, car insurance, kids activities, daycare, family law attorneys, etc, there's a lot more on my plate than in past years + doing it solo! 🎨🖌️
But while we're going through a difficult season and saving for maternity leave— I try to spend smarter for our needs, put the kids activities first, and find budget friendly ways to do self care! ✨🌱🧘🏻♀️
✨💳💸 Tips that have helped me:
• Take care of the MUST PAY bills first.
• Stay on top of bill due dates. If you can't, call the billing company and see if there's something they can do or offer you an extension. I've done it before with our current circumstances and explaining your situation with honesty can go a long way if you can get help!
• Be strict about your savings (when you can save). Put it aside in a savings account and DON'T TOUCH IT unless it's for an emergency or something you are saving for!
• If you can, stay under budget, just incase something comes up!
This template is FREE and I'm hoping it might help other mom's + families or anybody keep track of their monthly expenses and save for a rainy day! 🌼