Successful budgeting is easier than you think. A budget doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be honest, realistic, and consistent. It needs to include expenses for everyone in your household and it should be written down. Think of this as your family’s statement about what you care about, where you put your money, and where your dreams can go.

For this exercise, you can estimate your income and expenses, but it’s even better if you have real numbers. If you don’t already save the receipts and statements for all of your expenses and income, estimate them today and make a commitment to start keeping better records.

Use this worksheet to calculate all the money you and your family receive per month. List your take-home pay, which is the money you get after taxes, health insurance, and all other expenses are deducted from your paycheck. This is called a net income.

You can fill in this table or use the EverydayMoney Budget Tool.

SOURCES OF INCOME ( CLICK HERE TO PRINT ( Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® required)