Plan your spend
Plan your spend
Have you ever said, “Where does my money go”? You’re not alone, but sorting and tracking your spend, then planning a budget, could help you feel more in control and able to plan ahead.
1. How to balance 'wants' and 'needs'
Finding a balance between your needs (things like rent or home loan repayments, food, power and petrol) and what you really, really want (like eating out, movie nights, new clothes and daily coffees) is what makes a budget work. So first, divide your expenses into wants and needs based on what’s important to you.
Don’t give up on your wants
We all need to reward ourselves for working hard. It’s about budgeting smarter, not harder. Use cheap ticket nights. Download apps that give discounts to members. Subscribe to all the newsletters to be the first to hear about sales. If it is a priority for you, then you could make it work.
2. Plan your budget
Budgeting’s not just about what you have, it's also about learning how to manage what you’ve got.
Our budget planner is a great start. Simply add in your income, your daily and weekly expenses, plus other important monthly costs, and you can create your own budget. Remember to be completely honest about your spending, then by the end you’ll be clear about where your money’s going and can start preparing for the future.
Want to be more accurate? Having the following on hand will help:
- Your online banking to view transactions
- Recent utility bills, e.g. power, gas, water
- Information for all loan accounts
- Credit card statements.
3. How to see where your money goes
Keeping track of where your money’s going – from daily spending to every deposit into your savings – is a really helpful step towards changing your spending behaviour.
If you are an ANZ customer, the ANZ goMoney mobile app and Internet Banking means you’ve got your finances at your fingertips wherever you are – on the bus, at the beach or in the backyard. Or you can have a weekly date with a spreadsheet, or go ‘old school’ with pen and paper. However you choose to do it, the important thing is you’re actively watching your spending.
You’ve planned your spend, now what’s next?
With your budget in place, you’re ready to start making the most of your money. What's up next?
How to:
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Important information
This material is for information purposes only. We recommend seeking financial advice about your situation and goals before getting a financial product. To talk to one of our team at ANZ, please call 0800 269 296, or for more information about ANZ’s financial advice service or to view our financial advice provider disclosure statement see anz.co.nz/fapdisclosure
The ANZ Budget Planner is a tool provided for illustrative purposes only. It is provided by Dave Clark Design Associates Limited on behalf of ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited (“ANZ”). The results generated by using the ANZ Budget Planner tool are only a guide and based only on the information you have provided. It does not constitute a quote or financial advice. ANZ does not endorse or approve any budget created using the ANZ Budget Planner.