Customer Reviews

The Budget Kit, 3rd Ed.

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I had the misfortune to fall in love with a profession that doesn't pay beans. I also have tastes that would be more in line for an heiress. What to do?

Well, what I -did- do was overspend, get myself into credit-card debt, get myself out of it and still not have any idea how to save money or manage a budget. But this great little book changed that.

There's some advice and encouragement from the author here, but that's not the focus here. The focus would be extremely easy-to-use charts that help you plan your spending and keep track of what you actually -did- spend.

It's pretty easy: First, figure out your yearly expenses (the author provides a long list of these to jog your memory). These include car maintenance, professional dues, subscription renewals, haircuts, vet visits -- the whole shebang. There's also a great worksheet that lets you figure out your gift-giving expenses for birthdays, holidays and so on. Add them all up and divide by 12. That's the amount you need to save every month for these occasional expenses. (Why didn't I think of that?)

Then, for each month, there's a one-page worksheet where you figure out what your income will be for the month and what your expenses will be. You can easily chart when you'll get paid and when you'll need to pay your bills.

Finally, there's a two-page worksheet for each month to keep track of what you actually did spend. (It was a real eye-opener for me to realize what I actually spent on snacks each month!)

This is the first time I've every been able to create and stick to a realistic budget, and I have to say that it's pretty awesome. I actually have money left the second week of each pay period now, and I don't have to skip paying one bill so I can pay the others.

Here's a tip that I used to keep track of my budget: I copied it into my planner every week, so after I spent my allocation for, say, dining, I would cross it off. That way, I didn't get confused about how much of my budget for the week I'd actually used.

When I first tried to make a budget using this book I spent a week crying. How could I possibly accomplish my goal to get out of debt and have any kind of fun? Once I actually starting living with the budget I found it very freeing.

The first year that the holiday season came around and my money for gifts and travel was sitting there waiting for me I was thrilled.

3 years later I am out of debt and that initially "impossible" amount of money that was going into credit card payments is now going into savings account :-)

Last year I REALLY wanted a photo printer mid year. Did I pull out a credit card and buy it? Nope. I went to my handy 12 month plan of occasional expensesm and thought about it. Did I really want the printer more than a hair cut, my next clothing allowance and a bit off of vaction budget? Yup. There was the money for my printer. No guilt. No credit cards.

This book is a great tool to get rid of that awful out of control feeling and come up with a plan. My book for year number 4 is going into my shoping cart now.

Ms. Lawrence has compiled a simple, no-nonsense approach to understanding and managing one's financial life. Her recommendations and examples are superb, and she communicates the "big picture" effectively. The book is a complete kit by itself, and the associated website offers more outstanding advice and useful tools. Largely due to this book, my wife and I finally understand our household's cash flow, and, more importantly, each other's perspective of money management. I am recommending this book to friends, family, and associates.

After a few failed starts with Excel and even Quicken, the pen and pencil tear-out pages in this book did the trick. The book is so modular and well-designed that you can start whenever and with whatever committment you want.

Do you think that keeping a budget is too hard? Not only is it easy, its especially easy with this book and the relief you feel as you get control of your spending is worth many, many times whatever small effort you put into tracking your expenses.

I've been using Judy Lawrence's "Common Cents" system of budget management for probably the past 12 years or so, and it's made a big difference in how I handle my money. I track all my spending in a notebook (and in my checkbook), and then transfer these transaction details into my monthly Common Cents pages. It's made a huge difference to see at-a-glance where my money is going each month -- and you can't imagine the difference at tax time! All of this tracking takes me maybe 1-2 hours a month, so it's a minimal time investment. And I have no doubt I've saved many thousands of dollars over the years through the discipline and focus over money management that the Common Cents system has instilled. I've recommended it to friends and members of my family for many years; it just works!!

Careful budgeting can be a crucial tool for managing your money and getting out of debt -- and this easy-to-use workbook can help you gain control of your spending and organize your records once and for all! The comprehensive worksheets and charts allow you to set financial goals, plan and monitor your spending. It even helps you organize for tax time. Inspiring stories from people who have used The Budget Kit to change their financial lives for the better will keep you motivated.

After using the third edition of The Budget Kit, I anxiously awaited the 4th edition and was not disappointed! The Budget Kit is a fantastic resource for helping to get your finances in order. It's a great way to track where your money is going or has gone in the past so that you can stay on top of your financial situation. Of course, this means stepping out of your comfort zone and facing your financial situation in the face. However, The Budget Kit is the best way I've found to do just that without leaving you discouraged at the end of the process. In fact, once you've gone through the relevant pages in this book you will be in control of your finances, not controlled by them. The handy perforated sheets make it easy to put what you need together and the Mvelopes program is a perfect companion to the book.

I have found Judy Lawrence's The Budget Kit so helpful that I bought copies for two of my friends who were struggling with ways to keep track of their money. It is all about making choices and the need for the information to make those choices. This book is the key to keeping that critical information up-to-date and available. Not knowing where you money is coming from or going is like driving with your eyes closed. Lawrence makes the process so positive and simple , it becomes enjoyable and empowering.

I highly recommend this book to anyone. Buy it as a wedding present, as a graduation gift, as an anniversary gift for you and your spouse.

This is an excellent book for anyone who realizes they need to take control of their money and start a program of savings. I'd recommend it to almost anyone from students, recent graduates, women (and men, too) who find themselves "suddenly single", unemployed or underemployed people, to retirees.

There are forms to fill in with budget projections, records of actual expenditures, loan pay-downs, and many other useful tools to help you get on top of your income and expenditures. If you use these tools, and follow the guidelines in the book, you are sure to see an upturn in your financial situation. It's money well spent!

I am a veteran Certified Financial Planner professional and personal finance author. I've looked for years to find a practical and useful budgeting book to recommend to clients and consumers. Judy Lawrence wrote the best book on budgeting I've seen by far. Most similar products are painfully boring. This book is worth the money and implementing this workbook is absolutely worth your time! It's all about cash flow. Know where you are. Begin managing your cash flow with this workbook and you'll get where you want to be.