I need help to do a budget

[lucky24]

I generally try not to spend on things i dont need and look for bargins but i have never kept track of how much i/we spend (my DH is also no good at keeping track of what we spend).

But I was made redundant and we need to monitor our money much more closely.

Please help me find a plan than will not seem overwhelming and I will be able to keep on top off

I'd recommend downloading MS Money (it's available free) and keeping track of your income and expenditure on that. There is a good budget function that enables you to keep a particular eye on areas of spending that you want to watch closely. The cashflow function enables you to project your spending forward and see if there will be a problem in the future.

Alternatively, set up a simple spreadsheet or even a manual notebook and, at the end of each day, get into the habit of writing down everything you and your husband have spent by going through receipts and recording cash withdrawals. Include credit card spending, any direct debits and other regular payments.

Once you have a good idea of what you're spending and where it goes then you can take each main area.... let's say groceries is one ..... and, if you think you're spending too much, decide to reduce the bill.

One constructive thing you can do straight away is get a list of your Direct Debits and go through them one by one. Comparison sites can help you reduce things like insurance, utility bills and so forth. There may be DDs that you can dispense with all together because they are not paying for essentials.