Sometimes the “B” word is not a popular word among many people. It is almost a secret and few have used it. Let me tell you the “B” word will do wonders for your life. It will lift the pain and pressure from you. It will give you a new perspective in life for your money. If you follow, you will gain some much wisdom. The “B” word is your future. The “B” word is your fried not enemy. Okay, are you ready for it? The “B” word that so many people are afraid to say is “budget”.  
Yep, I said it – budget. The budget is your future for success. Having a budget is the best weapon to attack your finances. Proverbs 27:23, Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.  The budget enables you to address your income and expenses in a systematic way. It is a financial picture for your future. We have to link our future with ourselves. We must link our financial future with a budget (http://financialplan.about.com/od/budgetingyourmoney/ht/createbudget.htm).
 Better yet, what is your financial future? Your future is a resemblance of who you are. If you financial future is cloudy and bleak, then what are you? If your financial future gives you an positive outlook, what does that mean to you? I have talked to many people who do not having a working budget. They claim that they are going somewhere but physically they cannot get there because they do not have a budget. Habakkuk 2:2 says to write the vision, and make it plan, that he may run that read it. I normally ask people in my seminars how you expect to get from A to B without a vision. Some look at me like I’m crazy.  I even ask them about their future financial vision. Some look at me with amazement. I tell them that having a plan is necessary as breathing. If you don’t have a plan, how do you know if you are going to be successful?  There are 3 easy steps for a successful budget. This is it – no trick or gimmicks – just get a pen and paper to get started.
  Step 1 – Understand your income.   We must understand what is coming into your house. Finances come into our house planned and unplanned. Our job is to understand and get a handle on those finances that impact  us daily.  We should know how much money is coming in on any given day. By understanding your income, you will begin to see the light in your future
 Step 2- Get wise about your spending. Proverbs 27:23 says to be diligent to know the state of your flocks. We must put a name on every expense in your house. No money should run away from you without you knowing it. Sometimes we spend on frivolous items. When we have a plan, those frivolous expenses will be eliminated.
 Step 3 – Understand your money on hand – this is subtracting income from expenses. In order to get to our financial future, we must understand the bottom line. The bottom line is that you must know what is in your hand right now. With that, you can see your picture and what you need to do. It is not often that we need more money; it is our ability to handle what is in our hands. We have to work with the rock in our hands.
 The future is bright for you. Seize it and plan for success. If you want a sample copy of my budget, please email me at [email protected]. More information on the “B” word at www.cedricdukes.com.
Cedric Dukes – Author of Hostile Takeover – www.cedricdukes.com