Most of us will face some type financial crisis in our lifetime. It may be caused by personal or family illness, loss of your job, or just overspending. Whatever reason, the first thing that must be done is creating a budget.
Make an income column and list all sources and the amount of income. If the income is from a salary at work, only include your bring home pay, not your gross. Only bring home or net pay is available to spend.
Next, make an expense column. In this column, first list what is called fixed expenses. These are things that you have no control over. Home mortgage, electric bill, insurance, vehicle payments, taxes etc. are expenses that occur each month and must be paid on a timely basis. Now, list all other things you spend money for each month. Everything! Yes, no matter how small amount or how insignificant it seems, it is an expense.
Look at the total of income and the total expenses. The expenses probably scare you, but you can take control with some planning and possibly a little restructuring.
The next step, ask yourself is just how bad is the situation. If it is minor, then adjust your budget accordingly. The main...