2. WHY CREATE A BUDGET?
• It allows you to take control of your money by being
aware of exactly where your money comes from and
where it goes.
• No matter how much or how little money you have,
having a budget will help you learn to spend wisely and
make the most of what you have.
• Having a budget will help you create a plan to reach your
financial goals.

3. HOW TO USE THEBEEHIVE.ORG – SIGNING UP
Creating an Account:
1. Go to www.thebeehive.org
2. Click on “Sign In or Register” in the top right corner of the page.
3. In the window that pops up, click “create account.”
4. Fill in the required fields (username, email, confirm email, password,
confirm password, first name, last name)
5. Decide if you want to enter the optional information (birthday, gender)
6. If you want email alerts for money saving tips, job and career advice,
and ways to stay healthy, check the corresponding boxes.
7. Check the box that says, “I agree to the Beehive’s privacy policy…”
8. Type in the word verification.
9. Click “Create new account”

4. LOGGING IN
1. Go to www.thebeehive.org
2. Click on “Sign In or Register” in the top right corner of the page.
3. Type in your Username and Password.
4. Click “Log In”
REMEMBER TO SIGN
OUT WHEN YOU’RE
DONE!

5. TAKE A QUIZ
• Click on “Money”
• Then “Manage your money”
• Then “Learn More” under Money Made Easy
• Navigate through the quiz by answering the multiple choice
questions and then clicking the black “Next” button at the
bottom of the page.
• At the end of the quiz, Money Made Easy will give you a list or
recommended topics based on the areas in which you could
improve.

6. BUILDING A BUDGET USING THEBEEHIVE.ORG
The beehive has helpful tools for building a budget. All of
the resources we use in the following slides are available
here:
• Click on “Money”
• Then “Spend Wisely”
• Then “Budget” in the grey column on the left..
This section contains all the resources we will use in the
budget section of this presentation.

7. BASIC VOCABULARY
• Budget – A list of spendable funds and a spending plan.
• Income – The amount of money you receive during a
fixed period of time
• Expenses – The money spent on something
• Balanced Budget – When your income equally matches
your expenses

8. STEP #1 : TRACK YOUR EXPENSES
• Figure out how much money comes in to your household in one month.
• Collect your paycheck stubs, income receipts, social security benefits, food
stamps, and any other income and write the amounts down.
• Write down your regular expenses
• Include rent and other consistent bills.
• Keep track of your variable daily expenses
• Collect all your receipts from whenever you spend money. Write down
amounts if you can’t get a receipt. Keep all of your receipts in an envelope.
• Write everything down in a comprehensive list. You can either
• Print out a worksheet from the beehive in “Track Your Expenses” under the
“Budget” section of “Spend Wisely”
• Or download an excel worksheet which will do all of the math for you after
you enter in the amounts. You can find this on the same page with the
printable worksheet.

9. STEP #2 : BUILD YOUR BUDGET
Once you’ve completed a budget worksheet you should be able to compare
your income to your expenses.
• If you have more income than expenses, great! This is the goal.
• You should consider saving your extra income and putting it in an emergency
fund or toward retirement.
• If you have more expenses than income, you should consider making
some adjustments.
• Look at your variable daily expenses? Are there items that can be eliminated
or cut down in the future? For items that you must have, like gas and
groceries, can you cut out just a few dollars?
• Create a plan for next month.
• Write down what you will and will not spend money on so that you are
conscious of your limits. Write down how much you will spend in each
category.
• Your goal should be to have a balanced budget – when your expenses
equally match your income.

10. STEP # 3 : STICK TO YOUR BUDGET
Ideas to help you stick to your budget:
• Use what you have
• Avoid buying prepared food when you can make it yourself. Repair old
clothing and shoes instead of buying new items.
• Increase your income
• Consider taking up a part-time job, or apply for a new job. Visit the
Tenderloin Tech Lab for help with your resume.
• Get some help
• Apply for food stamps, child care help, medical assistance, and tax credits.
Make sure to consistently keep track of your income and expenses. At the
end of each month, review your budget to make sure you’re on track and
that your budget is balanced.