COSTS
£ expenditure per month
Mortgage Top-Up Mortgage or second-property mortgage (2) Mortgage Saving Vehicle/Endowment policy: 1: 2: 3: Council Tax Credit card/Store card payments: 1: 2: 3: Hire purchase agreements/Car loan (remember any catalogue repayments) Loan repayments (inc loans from friends and family) Property/garden maintenance (inc roof repairs, new fixtures, plants, landscaping over 12mths) House insurance: Buildings Contents Any additional/specialist insurance cover Water rates Gas Electricity Oil Coal/Logs Landline telephone Mobile phones: 1: 2: 3: Internet connection/dial-up fees
COSTS
£ expenditure per month
Ink cartridges/paper/stationery/home office costs TV licence/rental Cable/Satellite/Digital fees Life Assurance and Private Medical Plans inc Denplan 1: 2: 3: Life Insurance Pension contributions 1: 2: 3: ISAs/Saving Scheme/Stamps/Commitments Overdraft set-up fees/Interest on O/D/annual credit card fee/banking charges Car 1 Road tax Insurance Breakdown cover MOT/Maintenance Running costs Petrol/oil/antifreeze Car wash / Hoover / valet service Parking Car 2 Road tax Insurance Breakdown cover MOT/Maintenance Running costs Petrol/oil/antifreeze
COSTS
£ expenditure per month
Car wash / Hoover / valet service Parking Train/bus fares/season tickets 1: 2: 3: 4: School uniform School meals/Work lunches After School Clubs/Music Lessons (per child) eg: dance, Scouts, swimming, drama, judo, etc
Pocket money Child Maintenance payments 1 2 Childcare costs eg: nanny/aupair plus their living costs nursery fees pre-school fees private school fees tutor fees student loans Kid's activities/birthday parties/presents for other kids/teachers Courses during school holidays. Misc costs for books/school trips/PTA etc Clothing 1 2 3 4
COSTS
£ expenditure per month
Shoes 1 2 3 4 Beauty/Hair/Spa treatments (inc products) Housekeeping - all shopping (food and non-food) - drinks - window cleaner - domestic cleaner - ironing service/dry cleaning/laundry - milkman - florist (inc. any special deliveries to friends) - newspaper/delivery boy charges - Xmas tips for bins/milk/doc etc. Pets - Food - Maintenance/classes (grooming etc) - Equipment/shows - Vets bills - Insurance Club/Society Subs Mag/Newspaper/Online subs Hobbies Specialist activities Weekend activities
COSTS
£ expenditure per month
Socialising Eating out Drinking/going out Smoking Trips out/admissions/snacks etc. Weddings/Funerals/Christenings etc inc outfits/gifts Hiring films/music inc online downloads Private Healthcare/Nursing Home 1 2 Dental Costs 1 2 Medical prescriptions Charitable Donations (regular and collections) Holidays - cost plus travel insurance - taxi transfers/hanging about airport - specialist equipment - spending money - excursions and outings - food/drinks/snacks - souvenirs Seasonal: Gifts and Entertaining (Xmas, Easter, summer bbq, halloween, etc inc decorations) Misc, sweets, crisps, coffees, chewing-gum - you'll be surprised how much you spend each time you stop for petrol or pop in a newsagents! Anything else.... And the other stuff............. Are you sure there's nothing else...... Total
THE BOTTOM LINE TOTAL £...............................................Expect to take several hours filling in the form – you'll need to hoik out bank statements, policy
documents, shopping receipts and really rack your brain to provide honest answers in all the applicable spaces. Now add up all the figures. There you have it – your total monthly expenditure. Hopefully less than your monthly income. This level of honesty will enable you to see which areas need to be cut back and also pinpoint flashpoints for further attention. If you need extra copies of my budget planner you can find a printable version at www.jane-furnival.co.uk. You might like to complete two planners – one with your real figures and the other with revised target figures. Just slashing a few pounds off three or four of the items, especially the luxuries, will greatly affect the bottom-line and there is nothing more satisfying than beating your target. If your expenditure is way ahead of your income there are a several debt counselling organisations that might be able to help. NEVER do nothing. Seek advice sooner rather than later as debt soon escalates and ruins lives. Beware of private or professional debt/loan companies who charge extortionate interest rates and often resort to unpleasant methods of doing business when they want their money back.