Creating, and sticking with, a household budget can be very challenging. It can also be the starting place to help you on the way to a secure financial future as well as a way to control your expenses for a better life today.

1. Create a budget or review the one you have.
   Your budget can be as basic or complex as you want to make it, but it should always be flexible. Circumstances change, and your budget needs to change with them.
   • Complete the Money Management education module and learn how to save money and reach your financial goals.
   • Compare your income to your expenses using our Home Budget Calculator.
   
   
2. Consult a third party for an objective view of your financial situation.
   Get FREE Money Management Counseling through Ent's partnership with BALANCE^SM , a financial fitness program.
   
   
3. Review our Budget and Financial Fitness Related Articles
   • Dream It and Achieve It – How to Set and Attain Financial Goals (90 Kb PDF File)
   • Nine Ways to Master Your Money (94 Kb PDF File)
   • Financial Fitness Checklist (118 Kb PDF File)
   
   
4. High Cost of Financial Services
   Identify high-cost financial services and the steps necessary to qualify for credit alternatives. While there are many excellent financial products available that can help you achieve your goals, there are a few loans, lines of credit, and services to avoid because of their expensive fees and problematic terms. To help you make wise borrowing and financial service choices, BALANCE's Program on High Cost of Financial Services  will cover:
   • Prime credit, subprime credit, and predatory lending
   • Types of subprime credit products: payday loans, finance companies and other high cost loans, expensive credit cards, and car-title loans
   • Types of fringe financial services: check-cashing services and rent-to own retailers
   • Recovery methods
   • Financial alternatives
   
   

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