top of the left column, Outgoing Money. Label the top of the right column, Incoming Money.

2. Under the Outgoing Money column, list all monthly expenses. (For weekly expenses such as gas, lunch, etc., multiply your average weekly costs by 4, then use that figure in your Outgoing Money column, along with the name of the expense.) Down the road, you can add in any you've forgotten.

3. Under the Incoming Money column, list all after-tax income flowing into your household.

4. Add up each column and list the totals at the bottom of each.

Note: For Yearly expenses, add them to the bottom of your Outgoing Money column, labeling them as Yearly.

Now, let's take a quick look at your columns.

"So, why do we carry those brown paper bags in the trunk?"

Mom's reply was always the same. "Well, just wait and see."

I was about nine years old and figured I had plenty of time to find out. So I waited.

We were out grocery shopping one day and got caught in a snowstorm. We were tired and hungry, and I longed to be at home, out of the cold.

The good news was that the ice cream wouldn't melt soon. The bad news was that we were literally stuck in a rut. And the rut became bigger each time the tires spun. The snow became slicker, packing down into the rut.

The old station wagon was in absolutely no hurry to go anywhere.

But, we each had a coat, ear muffs and gloves. So I stayed silent, wondering how we were going to get out of this one (smile). I really was hoping for a miracle, to tell the truth.

I watched as mom dug out a stack of those brown grocery bags from the trunk. The ones we'd carried around forever, it seemed.

She placed several beneath each of the back tires, fitting them tightly, then layered them. A layer behind, and a layer in front of the tires.

Mom did the same with the front tires, then formed a small path with them way out in front of the tires.

She said nothing as she brown-bagged the ruts, and I sensed that something important was happening.

"Okay, let's go." She didn't have to tell me twice. I scrambled back in the car, grateful to be out of the cold.

Mom put the station wagon in gear and gave it a bit of gas. At first, it seemed as if nothing was happening.

But, ever so slowly, the car began to move forward. Inch by steady inch.

I watched mom out of the corner of one eye, wondering if a halo would appear at any moment. It would look nice crowning her pretty brown hair, I thought. And, I had prayed for a miracle...

The car was still moving. We were back in business! We were rockin' and rollin' back to the highway. Life was good!

We were about a mile from home when mom spoke. "That, my dear, is why we carry those brown bags in the trunk." And she smiled.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. You see, the brown paper bags gave the tires just enough traction to move us out of that rut. Once we picked up momentum, we were on our way. Free and clear as long as we kept the car moving at a slow, steady pace through the snow.

It's all about traction and momentum. Without them, it's impossible to get moving -- and keep moving.

So, I want to share with you another little *trick.* It comes in handy when you're stuck in a rut, and can't quite get that budget down on paper.

It's just as effective as those bags on top the snow. And you can do it, even without completing a budget for now. So go ahead, give it a shot right now.

1. Draw a line down the middle of an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper. Label the top of the left column, Outgoing Money. Label the top of the right column, Incoming Money.

2. Under the Outgoing Money column, list all monthly expenses. (For weekly expenses such as gas, lunch, etc., multiply your average weekly costs by 4, then use that figure in your Outgoing Money column, along with the name of the expense.) Down the road, you can add in any you've forgotten.

3. Under the Incoming Money column, list all after-tax income flowing into your household.

4. Add up each column and list the totals at the bottom of each.

Note: For Yearly expenses, add them to the bottom of your Outgoing Money column, labeling them as Yearly.

Now, let's take a quick look at your columns.

silent, wondering how we were going to get out of this one (smile). I really was hoping for a miracle, to tell the truth.

I watched as mom dug out a stack of those brown grocery bags from the trunk. The ones we'd carried around forever, it seemed.

She placed several beneath each of the back tires, fitting them tightly, then layered them. A layer behind, and a layer in front of the tires.

Mom did the same with the front tires, then formed a small path with them way out in front of the tires.

She said nothing as she brown-bagged the ruts, and I sensed that something important was happening.

"Okay, let's go." She didn't have to tell me twice. I scrambled back in the car, grateful to be out of the cold.

Mom put the station wagon in gear and gave it a bit of gas. At first, it seemed as if nothing was happening.

But, ever so slowly, the car began to move forward. Inch by steady inch.

I watched mom out of the corner of one eye, wondering if a halo would appear at any moment. It would look nice crowning her pretty brown hair, I thought. And, I had prayed for a miracle...

The car was still moving. We were back in business! We were rockin' and rollin' back to the highway. Life was good!

We were about a mile from home when mom spoke. "That, my dear, is why we carry those brown bags in the trunk." And she smiled.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. You see, the brown paper bags gave the tires just enough traction to move us out of that rut. Once we picked up momentum, we were on our way. Free and clear as long as we kept the car moving at a slow, steady pace through the snow.

It's all about traction and momentum. Without them, it's impossible to get moving -- and keep moving.

So, I want to share with you another little *trick.* It comes in handy when you're stuck in a rut, and can't quite get that budget down on paper.

It's just as effective as those bags on top the snow. And you can do it, even without completing a budget for now. So go ahead, give it a shot right now.

1. Draw a line down the middle of an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper. Label the top of the left column, Outgoing Money. Label the top of the right column, Incoming Money.

2. Under the Outgoing Money column, list all monthly expenses. (For weekly expenses such as gas, lunch, etc., multiply your average weekly costs by 4, then use that figure in your Outgoing Money column, along with the name of the expense.) Down the road, you can add in any you've forgotten.

3. Under the Incoming Money column, list all after-tax income flowing into your household.

4. Add up each column and list the totals at the bottom of each.

Note: For Yearly expenses, add them to the bottom of your Outgoing Money column, labeling them as Yearly.

Now, let's take a quick look at your columns.

be out of the cold.

Mom put the station wagon in gear and gave it a bit of gas. At first, it seemed as if nothing was happening.

But, ever so slowly, the car began to move forward. Inch by steady inch.

I watched mom out of the corner of one eye, wondering if a halo would appear at any moment. It would look nice crowning her pretty brown hair, I thought. And, I had prayed for a miracle...

The car was still moving. We were back in business! We were rockin' and rollin' back to the highway. Life was good!

We were about a mile from home when mom spoke. "That, my dear, is why we carry those brown bags in the trunk." And she smiled.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. You see, the brown paper bags gave the tires just enough traction to move us out of that rut. Once we picked up momentum, we were on our way. Free and clear as long as we kept the car moving at a slow, steady pace through the snow.

It's all about traction and momentum. Without them, it's impossible to get moving -- and keep moving.

So, I want to share with you another little *trick.* It comes in handy when you're stuck in a rut, and can't quite get that budget down on paper.

It's just as effective as those bags on top the snow. And you can do it, even without completing a budget for now. So go ahead, give it a shot right now.

1. Draw a line down the middle of an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper. Label the top of the left column, Outgoing Money. Label the top of the right column, Incoming Money.

2. Under the Outgoing Money column, list all monthly expenses. (For weekly expenses such as gas, lunch, etc., multiply your average weekly costs by 4, then use that figure in your Outgoing Money column, along with the name of the expense.) Down the road, you can add in any you've forgotten.

3. Under the Incoming Money column, list all after-tax income flowing into your household.

4. Add up each column and list the totals at the bottom of each.

Note: For Yearly expenses, add them to the bottom of your Outgoing Money column, labeling them as Yearly.

Now, let's take a quick look at your columns.

brown paper bags gave the tires just enough traction to move us out of that rut. Once we picked up momentum, we were on our way. Free and clear as long as we kept the car moving at a slow, steady pace through the snow.

It's all about traction and momentum. Without them, it's impossible to get moving -- and keep moving.

So, I want to share with you another little *trick.* It comes in handy when you're stuck in a rut, and can't quite get that budget down on paper.

It's just as effective as those bags on top the snow. And you can do it, even without completing a budget for now. So go ahead, give it a shot right now.

1. Draw a line down the middle of an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper. Label the top of the left column, Outgoing Money. Label the top of the right column, Incoming Money.

2. Under the Outgoing Money column, list all monthly expenses. (For weekly expenses such as gas, lunch, etc., multiply your average weekly costs by 4, then use that figure in your Outgoing Money column, along with the name of the expense.) Down the road, you can add in any you've forgotten.

3. Under the Incoming Money column, list all after-tax income flowing into your household.

4. Add up each column and list the totals at the bottom of each.

Note: For Yearly expenses, add them to the bottom of your Outgoing Money column, labeling them as Yearly.

Now, let's take a quick look at your columns.

top of the left column, Outgoing Money. Label the top of the right column, Incoming Money.

2. Under the Outgoing Money column, list all monthly expenses. (For weekly expenses such as gas, lunch, etc., multiply your average weekly costs by 4, then use that figure in your Outgoing Money column, along with the name of the expense.) Down the road, you can add in any you've forgotten.

3. Under the Incoming Money column, list all after-tax income flowing into your household.

4. Add up each column and list the totals at the bottom of each.

Note: For Yearly expenses, add them to the bottom of your Outgoing Money column, labeling them as Yearly.

Now, let's take a quick look at your columns. Do you have more income than expense? If so, are you tucking away the *extra* into some sort of savings vehicle?

If the Outgoing column is greater than the Incoming column, you've got some brainstorming to do. How can you decrease your expenses? Will you want to increase your income? Or maybe a bit of both?

So, now you have a *template* in place. When you decide to do a budget, you’ll have most of the information rounded up already. And next time you're stuck, just remember those brown paper bags. Traction and momentum. Now, get going!