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Most people don’t like to talk about budgeting for several reasons:
大多数人不想谈预算，原因如下：
They don’t know how to do it. (It’s too difficult)
不知道该怎么做（太难了）；
They’re too busy. (I don’t have time to spend on a budget)
太忙（没有多余的时间来制定预算）；
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.)
不愿放弃随意花钱的习惯（何时何地，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.
既然这是你的预算，你还是有权决定钱怎么花。以预算的形式来记录收入和支出不会改变你的持有。预算只是让你来控制钱而不是让你置于钱的控制之下。
Getting Started
开始做吧
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.
我们可以从网上，图书馆等地方找到许多相关的免费资料，这能让你制定预算时更加得心应手。只要在谷歌上输入关键词“如何制定预算”，你就能找到完整的指导流程，免费的模板，预算计算器以及坚持做预算的技巧。
Putting together a budget is not complicated or difficult. Here are the key components of any household budget:
制定预算既不复杂也不难。下面这些关键部分适用于每个家庭的预算：
Monthly income (include all sources: paychecks, disability payments, etc.)
月收入（包括所有收入来源，如薪水，残障补贴等）；
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，车贷，保险和儿童保育费用等等）；
Future Needs (money for savings, an emergency fund, and/or retirement investments)
未来之需（存款，紧急资金或退休投资）；
Charitable giving (church, and other non-profit donations)
慈善捐赠（向教堂或其它非盈利性机构捐赠）；
Discretionary or controllable expenses (such as entertainment, dining out, vacations, groceries, utilities, hobbies, etc.)
任意花费或控制支出（如娱乐活动，外出就餐，度假，购物，工具和习惯等）。
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.
每部分预算的多少有你的收入水平决定。许多人在用的是10/10/80模式，即10%收入放在储蓄和未来规划方面，10%放在慈善捐赠，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.
如果你没有那么多钱按照这个模式来分配，那么确定好你必须而且愿意改变的部分。比如说，你能否通过裁员或重新集资来减少每月固定支出呢？你是否不依照预算却挥金如土呢？这些私人决策只能由你自己来制定。
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.
每每提及预算和管理个人财务，我们每个人都有改进的空间。如果你还没有预算，我强烈建议你从本月开始制定预算，记录你的支出。用预算来更好管理你的血汗钱，掌好你的财务大船。
The day you set up a budget and start tracking your expenses is the day you take control of your financial future.
你什么时候有了预算，开始记录花销，你就什么时候得到自己财务的控制权。
