評論
打印
Most people don’t like to talk about budgeting for several reasons:
大多數人不想談預算，原因如下：
They don’t know how to do it. (It’s too difficult)
不知道該怎么做（太難了）；
They’re too busy. (I don’t have time to spend on a budget)
太忙（沒有多余的時間來制定預算）；
They don’t want to give up control over discretionary spending decisions. (I want to spend my money on what I want to when I want to.)
不愿放棄隨意花錢的習慣（何時何地，想花就花）。
Since your budget is YOUR budget, you are still the one who makes the call on how your money gets spent. Keeping track of your income and expenses in the form of a budget doesn’t change how much money you have or don’t have. A budget simply lets you control your money instead of your money controlling you.
既然這是你的預算，你還是有權決定錢怎么花。以預算的形式來記錄收入和支出不會改變你的持有。預算只是讓你來控制錢而不是讓你置于錢的控制之下。
Getting Started
開始做吧
There are a number of resources on the web, at the library, and available for free that make it easy to start and maintain a budget. Simply Google “How to Make a Budget” for step-by-step directions, free templates, budget calculators, and tips for sticking to a budget.
我們可以從網上，圖書館等地方找到許多相關的免費資料，這能讓你制定預算時更加得心應手。只要在谷歌上輸入關鍵詞“如何制定預算”，你就能找到完整的指導流程，免費的模板，預算計算器以及堅持做預算的技巧。
Putting together a budget is not complicated or difficult. Here are the key components of any household budget:
制定預算既不復雜也不難。下面這些關鍵部分適用于每個家庭的預算：
Monthly income (include all sources: paychecks, disability payments, etc.)
月收入（包括所有收入來源，如薪水，殘障補貼等）；
Mandatory or fixed expenses (mortgage or rent, car payments, insurance, child care, etc.)
日常或固定的指出（按揭或房租，車貸，保險和兒童保育費用等等）；
Future Needs (money for savings, an emergency fund, and/or retirement investments)
未來之需（存款，緊急資金或退休投資）；
Charitable giving (church, and other non-profit donations)
慈善捐贈（向教堂或其它非盈利性機構捐贈）；
Discretionary or controllable expenses (such as entertainment, dining out, vacations, groceries, utilities, hobbies, etc.)
任意花費或控制支出（如娛樂活動，外出就餐，度假，購物，工具和習慣等）。
How much money you allocate to each category will be largely based on your income. A plan that many people use is the 10/10/80 guide: 10% of your income goes toward savings and planning for the future, 10% goes toward charitable giving, and the remaining 80% goes toward your mandatory and discretionary expenses.
每部分預算的多少有你的收入水平決定。許多人在用的是10/10/80模式，即10%收入放在儲蓄和未來規劃方面，10%放在慈善捐贈，剩下的80%留作日常支出之用。
If you find there is not enough money to distribute in that pattern, decide what you must and are willing to change. For example, can you reduce your mandatory or fixed monthly expenses by downsizing or refinancing? Are there discretionary expenses that you can do without to stay within your budget? These are all very personal decisions that only you can make.
如果你沒有那么多錢按照這個模式來分配，那么確定好你必須而且愿意改變的部分。比如說，你能否通過裁員或重新集資來減少每月固定支出呢？你是否不依照預算卻揮金如土呢？這些私人決策只能由你自己來制定。
When it comes to budgeting and managing personal finances, there’s room for improvement in all of us. If you don’t have one already, I strongly encourage you to set up a budget and start tracking your expenses this month. Use your budget to get smart about your hard-earned money and take control of your Financial Ship.
每每提及預算和管理個人財務，我們每個人都有改進的空間。如果你還沒有預算，我強烈建議你從本月開始制定預算，記錄你的支出。用預算來更好管理你的血汗錢，掌好你的財務大船。
The day you set up a budget and start tracking your expenses is the day you take control of your financial future.
你什么時候有了預算，開始記錄花銷，你就什么時候得到自己財務的控制權。
