FAMILY BUDGET
Household budget is a plan for future expenditure of a given household. Budgeting involves planning ahead on how to spend the total money or income that one earns.
THE INCOME: This includes the money and other economic resources available to the family for meeting their needs.
MONEY INCOME: This is the amount of money which the family has at given period
GROSS INCOME: This is the total amount of money from person’s income
NET INCOME: This is the amount of money that remains after deductions such as tax, have been removed from the gross income
EXPENDITURE: This is the amount of money spent on goods and services by the family
B. FAMILY NEEDS
Family needs are those things on which family members are willing to spend their income. These needs are divided into two main classes:
- Primary needs: These are the very important needs which are needed for good health and survival. The family cannot do without them. They include food, clothing and shelter.
- Secondary needs: These are needs which the family can do without, though they are desirable. Examples are cars, education, entertainment, savings e.t.c
IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY BUDGETS
- Family budgeting helps the family to make important decisions about their expenditures
- It helps the family to spend money on what they really need
- It prevents wasteful spending of family money
- It helps the family to see how they spend their money.
- It helps to prevent impulse buying
- It helps to train children on the use of money
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE FAMILY BUDGETING AND EXPENDITURE
- The Family Income: the budget is made on the net income
- Family needs: These determine the specific goods and services which will be budgeted for
- Seasons: The seasons of the year should considered by the family when planning their budget. There are some materials that are cheaper and are more easily available when in season
- Locality: Where the family lives also plays an important role in the family budget. The budget for a family living in a rural area will differ from a family living in an urban area
- Inflation: This is the continuous upward movement in general price level. When this occurs the prices of goods and services become high.
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