Creating a budget can be a difficult process, but sticking to it can be even harder. It is a necessary part of running a household, but if you don’t do it properly, then your finances will go down the pan.

Learning how to budget in a way that works is something that everyone should be able to do, whether they have a family, a business or just their own household to run.

Take a look at these hints and tips to making your budget work for you.

Setting Up a Budget 

The problem that most people encounter when setting up a budget is figuring out what they actually spend. The majority of us don’t keep our receipts, unless for this purpose – for keeping track of what you’re spending. So, for the next three months – assuming you’re not under any major pressure to save – keep every receipt and make a note of everything you spend. After three months, take all your receipts and group them together. How you do this is up to you, but after you group them, you total it up and divide it by 3. Then, take a look at where you can cut spending. In some groups you might find that you can’t cut anything, and in other areas there might be quite a lot.

You should try not to cut out everything all at once. Instead, just choose a few ways in which to cut spending to see how it works for you.

Sticking to Your Budget

Whether you’re budgeting to save or to pay off debts, then you should have a goal in mind. Keeping track of this and your progress as you get closer to it is a good incentive to keep going with your budget.

Using cash – if you set your budget for your individual groups, and you don’t buy anything online, then get the cash out. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Become critical of your spending – before you buy anything, ask yourself whether you need it and whether you have looked to see if you can find it cheaper elsewhere. If you’ve decided you need it, and you’ve found the cheapest one, sleep on it just to make sure.

Lock your savings away – if you find yourself reaching for your savings accounts every money gets scarce, then make sure you can’t by locking it away in an account that charges you when you withdraw.

Reward your efforts – though make sure it’s a reward that you’ve budgeted for!

Have a plan for your debts – if you’re budgeting to get out debt, then make sure you have a plan for your debt too. You could consolidate your debt with a loan like the ones from 1^st Stop, or enrol with a debt management organization. Budgeting alone won’t help you when it comes to debts.

Don’t bear the burden alone – assuming you have kids and a partner, make sure that you’re not the only one who’s committing to cutting down the spending.  Educate your kids on money matters, and make sure your partner is sticking to the budget too.

**This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS^® 2014 program by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own, and I hope you enjoy them

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, can you believe it? While my husband and I don't usually do anything too big on Valentine's Day, I always look forward to having a day set aside to go out on a date (dinner and a movie usually) and focus on our love for one another. 

To prepare for our special Valentine's Day date, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc and The Motherhood sent me a variety of Healthy Essentials products to test out. 

One of the first products that stood out to me when my box arrived, was the Listerine Ultraclean Arctic Mint! Afterall, who wants to go on a date without fresh breath?! 

As I've said in the past, I'm a fan of Listerine and love the way it freshens my breath and makes my mouth feel clean! I know with this product, I'll be ready for our Valentine's Day date. It's the only leading mouthwash with an anti-tartar ingredient and new Everfresh Technology for a dentist clean feeling that lasts up to three times longer versus brushing alone. It truly does make my mouth feel like I just left the dentist office!

I have been using the Listerine I received and am very impressed with taste, as well as the clean feel it gives. My hubby has been commenting every time I use it, how fresh my breath is! I'm happy to have it in time to use for Valentine's Day and beyond! He has even given it a try and loves it! 

As you're preparing for Valentine's Day this year, I would recommend trying out Listerine Ultraclean Arctic Mint! You can even head over to HealthyEssentials.com and get a printable coupon for $1 off a variety of Listerine products!

There were several other products in my package that I knew would be great in getting prepared for our big date, the following just to name a few!

Along with mouthwash to keep my breath fresh, I also know it's important to have a good toothpaste. I do my best to take care of my teeth and look for quality toothpaste that not only cleans my teeth, but one that makes my smile dazzle! 

This Valentine's Day I want my smile to look great (afterall, it's one of the only times my hubby and I get a picture together it seems!). Thanks to Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide Fresh Mint Toothpaste, I can have clean teeth and a nice white smile! It is made to remove surface stains and deeply penetrates to visibly whiten teeth inside and out. It also restores enamel. Now that's something to smile about! 

As with the Listerine products, there's also a great printable coupon for $3 off any two Rembrandt Whitening Paste or Rinse products at HealthyEssentials.com!

Although fresh breath and a sparkling white smile are important, I also put thought into my beauty routine when I get a date night with my man! That's why I was excited to find two products from Neutrogena Cosmetics that would be perfect in helping me prepare for our date. 

I have used Neutrogena Cosmetics in the past and appreciate how they enhance natural beauty while improving the look of my skin. One product I hand't tried of theirs however, was Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara, so I was excited to give it a try. 

I am picky when it comes to mascara, but I have really liked this! The Visible Volume Brush coats and builds even the smallest lashes (which I have) giving them rich, volume-building color! 

For my lips, I was able to try Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks which moisturize and condition. I have found that this makes my lips softer and smoother...great for making sure I have kissable lips on Valentine's Day. :)

There's also a printable coupon for $1 off any Neutrogena Cosmetics product at HealthyEssentials.com as well!

These products along with the great tips and coupons found on the Healthy Essentials website this month can help you be healthy and happy for your loved ones this Valentine's Day! Be sure to head over and check them out.

As my kids get older I have found that extra time is hard to find. Between school, extra-curricular activities and of course, family time...my time is spread thin. I love blogging and bringing you the best of the best products out there to make the balancing act of motherhood easier. That's why I've decided to call on another great blogger to help co-author and review here at A Mom's Balancing Act to bring you another perspective on motherhood and the products you don't want to miss!

Meet Renee

I've been married for a year and a half to my husband, Jake, and a new mommy to our beautiful daughter, Aliyah. I love spending time outdoors, exploring new places, cooking, and crafting/sewing.

My desire has always been to be a stay at home mom, and I'm so thankful that I'm able to do so! I'm learning as I go and feel more confident each day that this is God's purpose for me.

I love finding new tips and discovering fun and helpful products to help balance this new life of mommyhood, and I'm excited to share some of those with you along the way.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and Kaelyn couldn't be more excited! Last year she enjoyed making these cute candy-free Bubbles Valentines for her classmates and has talked about them ever since!

She and I talked again this year, and decided it was fun to do something unique that didn't involve candy. So, we took a look at some ideas on Pinterest and she was drawn to the Maze Valentines ideas right away! 

There were some fun ideas, but I decided to create the Valentine on my own for her. The following is what we came up with...simple and cute!

I cut some cardstock in 3 1/2 x 5" pieces and placed them in the photo tray of my printer. I then printed off enough for her classmates (with the border, as I thought this looked better). Once we had them printed out, we grabbed some of our heart mazes, which I got from Oriental Trading, but I think they're also available at dollar stores as well, and glue dots.

Kaelyn had a lot of fun personalizing each Valentine (there's extra white space at the top for the recipient's name). She was able to do everything from writing the names to placing a maze on each valentine using one glue dot each. 

We think they turned out pretty cute, and Kaelyn is proud to have something she put together all on her own for her friends at school. 

I've made the template available for download to those who are interested. Simply click on the picture. 

We'd love to see and hear about the Valentines you and your little ones are putting together this year. Feel free to share in the comments and if you have a link to a blog post about it, be sure to share that too! :)