Basic Principles

Budget

Published Feb 7, 2023

Definition of Budget

A budget is a financial plan that outlines how much money an individual, family, or organization has available to spend and how it will be spent. That means it is a tool used to manage income and expenses over a certain period of time. It is important to note that a budget is not just about saving money, but also about making sure that money is spent in the most efficient way possible.

Example

To illustrate this, let’s look at the budget of a small business. The business owner has to decide how much money to allocate to different areas such as rent, salaries, marketing, and inventory. To do this, they create a budget that outlines how much money they have available and how it will be spent. For example, they may decide to allocate 20% of their budget to rent, 30% to salaries, 25% to marketing, and 25% to inventory. This budget will then be used to guide their spending decisions over the course of the year.

Why Budgets Matter

Budgets are an important tool for individuals, families, and organizations to manage their finances. They help to ensure that money is spent in the most efficient way possible and that there is enough money available to cover all necessary expenses. Furthermore, budgets can also be used to set financial goals and track progress towards those goals. That means they can be a powerful tool for achieving financial stability and success.