1 WHY BUDGET? 1Financial Budgeting 2The Stress Factor 3The Fear Factor 4Defining Your Financial Goals 72 THE BUDGET 13Tracking Spending 13Daily spending 14Weekly spending 18Yearly spending 25Tracking Income 27Calculating Your Net Worth 313 SPENDING MANAGEMENT 39Analyzing and Revising Your Spending 39Changing Your Lifestyle 47CONTENTSiii4 DEBT MANAGEMENT 51Paying Off Your Consumer and Credit Card Debts 51Paying Down Your Mortgage 54Your Credit Report 565 SAVINGS MANAGEMENT 59More to Savings than Savings Accounts 59Risk/Return 61Different Types of Investments 61Safety investments 62Income investments 62Growth investments 63Mutual funds 64Real estate investment 66The ABCs of Retirement Savings 686 FINANCIAL PLANNING STRATEGIES 73Tax Planning 73Estate Planning 747 FREEDOM TO ENJOY LIVING 79APPENDIX 1 SAVINGS CHARTS 81Savings Chart 1 82Savings Chart 2 84Savings Chart 3 86Savings Chart 4 88APPENDIX 2 TIPS ON SAVING MONEY 91GLOSSARY 101SAMPLES1 Financial Goals Worksheet 10iv Personal Budgeting Kit2 Daily Spending Worksheet 163 Weekly Spending Worksheet 204 Yearly Spending Worksheet 285 Income Worksheet 326 Net Worth Worksheet 367 Revised Spending Worksheet 42TABLE1 Mortgage Savings 54