Develop a budget
Get it down in writing

---

It’s one thing to say that you’re going to put yourself on a budget. However, walking your talk takes effort. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by those good intentions. The best way to keep your promise to yourself is to get your budget down in writing. That way you’ve organized it, quantified it and given it a manageable size — there’s nothing scary about a little sheet of paper, now, is there?

Enter: The Monthly Spending Planner (.pdf), a simple tool to help you get your budget down on paper. The Planner is divided into three sections to help you measure your income and expenses and then compare the two. Open and print the Planner, then begin filling in the blanks.

It will take some thought and time to develop your budget. You may have to do some research, make some calls, and ask some questions to get the job done. If you do your homework right, you’ll have something many homebuyers lack: a clear picture of the price of being a successful homeowner.