In fact, Financial guru Dave Ramsey states that “ budgeting is essential to your financial success.” He uses the term zero-based budgeting to explain “a way of budgeting where your income minus your expenses equals zero.” But, either way, personal financial experts seem to agree on the importance of budgeting – developing a plan that balances your income and expenses. Others avoid it at all costs – knowing it could cause a multitude of cascading financial issues in a fragile balance of income and expenses. Some of us are not concerned and have enough monthly income or savings to cover the debt anytime. According to a yearly Planning and Progress Study by Northwestern Mutual, in 2018 “the average personal debt (exclusive of home mortgages and among those with some debt) climbed higher this year, exceeding $38,000.” The study continues with other trends suggesting “that Americans are digging further into – rather than out of – debt….” One of those trends is that “wo in 10 people allocate a staggering 50%-100% of their income towards debt repayment.”Įveryone responds to personal debt differently.
