We all get paid somehow every month. Whether it is a physical paycheck or directly deposited into a bank account or online banking portal, like paypal, alertpay, etc. However, what do we do with that money once we get it and how do we keep it.

I am going to come right out and say that I am in no way an expert on finances. I am however one of the millions of people in debt and I am finding ways to cut my debt every month. So, I thought I would be kind and share with you all!

The first thing I learned was a basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel. You don't really need to know the hard stuff in order to use Excel and while it is helpful, you could spend an afternoon and play around with fake number to get used to it and you'll be fine.

Open up your Excel Spreadsheet and in the first box in the upper left hand corner type "Outgoing". This will go underneath the "A" column. Then under the rest of the alphabet type things like: "Phone", "Car Insurance", "TV", etc. Until all your outgoing bills are listed. If you miss one you can always go back and add it. No big deal!

Next, under all the types of outgoing money you will put the minimum amount you would pay throughout the year or if you want to go maximum you can so that you budget reflexs over rather than under. It is better to over budget than under budget. I'll get to the reasons why in a minute. Then add up all the amounts and you will get the amount needed to "survive" every month.

Next, where ever you find easier, put your income in a column. If you get paid weekly, make four spots; one for each paycheck; or if two, then two spots. Add those numbers to get what you earn in one month. Subtract the amount that comes in by the amount that goes out and you will find the difference.

Make adjustments accordingly. For example, I know that my credit card bill has a minimum payment of around $60 a month, but I want to pay more. I also know that during the winter my gas bill goes up from $20 dollars in the summer to over $100 dollars. So, during the winter I am going to use the money I would have used for my credit card bill, I wanted to pay $100 dollars a month. Instead I use that towards my gas bill. While I am still $40 short, I look at the rest of my budget and see where I can cut my costs even more.

On to the tips portion of this hub. A tip to survive the winter, if it is in your budget is to add five to ten dollars to your summer bills so that when winter comes you can skip a month or have a lower payment. For example my $20 dollar a month gas bill, I could pay $50 to $75 dollars every month during the summer and be ahead during the winter months. All the while staying on top of my bills.

One tip I always like to keep is to always pay something on your debts. Never miss a payment. Why? Because this reflects on your credit in a negative way if you miss a payment. Regardless of what other finanical guru's say, always pay something. Even if it is .50 cents. Pay it, so that it can be put towards something. Even if it is interest.

If you have any questions about this hub please fell free to ask in the comments section. If you have your own tips on how to keep a budget let us all know! Enjoy!