The Four Bucket Personal Finance System - The Simple Budgeting Alternative

The four bucket personal finance system is a simpleto your personal convictions for managing money,
and practical alternative to personal budgeting. Thinkbut an amount is to be put into each bucket each
about this: how many times have you heard thetime you receive a paycheck.
advice that you need to get on a budget to startAn example, if your monthly living expenses are
managing your money better? How many times have$2,800 and you are paid $1,000 a week, using the
you attempted this strategy, kept it up for a couplerecommended allocations, $700 are for expenses,
weeks and found that budgeting just does not applyand $100 to each of the remaining buckets. The "Pay
to the dynamics of real-life? This is why more peopleYourself First" capital will be used exclusively to
are choosing the four bucket personal financecreate new wealth. The reserve amount is used to
approach as a practical alternative to living by abuild an emergency fund and funds for special events
complicated budgeting system.such as investing in personal business or education,
The Four Bucket Personal Finance Approachand savings towards a family vacation or the
Picture your personal finances as four buckets sittingpurchase of something which would just add more
in front of you. On each of these buckets, there is aenjoyment to your life
label which tells you what the money in that bucketFinally, the amount in your contributions bucket can
is going to be used for:be used to purchase gifts for your friends or family
1. Expensesmembers or to give to charitable causes.
2. "Pay Yourself First"Keeping it Simple
3. ContributionsAs you can see, the four bucket personal finance
4. Reservesystem is a simple alternative to budgeting which can
That's the four simple personal finance categories.easily fit within the context of your real-life. Making
Your objective is to put a predetermined amount intothe management of your personal finances simple
each bucket whenever you are paid. Aand practical will make it much easier for you to stick
recommended allocation percentage is not more thanwith it until you get the results you want. So if you
70% of disposable income for expenses, and 10% orare worn out with trying to live your life according to
more for each of the three remaining buckets.a personal budgeting system, try the four bucket
However, you can change the allocations accordingpersonal finance approach instead.