Make planning easier.

Useful tips, examples and tools for everyday life and business.

How to budget when you get paid twice a month

Write down the two dates and take-home amounts. Twice-monthly pay means 24 checks a year; biweekly usually means 26. Do not treat them as identical.

Record the sale price plus shipping charged to the buyer, excluding sales tax collected on behalf of a tax authority.

List each balance, APR and minimum. Keep all required payments current before allocating extra money.

Group supplies by material and project. Record quantities, storage locations and items that need replacing.

Try paper snowflakes, a holiday story, a neighborhood lights walk, homemade cards or a family movie night.