Household finances should always be viewed as a responsibility. Even more so in these times when uncertainty is just around the corner.

Make a monthly budget to be clear about your main income and expenses.

In one column for your income, in the other column place your expenses such as rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, parking, gas, lunches and recreational outings.

Then identify expenses that are occasional, such as going out with friends, vacations, records, books, going to the movies.

Take stock to see if your income is greater than your expenses.

Then, synthesize and make a last column with unnecessary expenses. Movie or music subscriptions is one of the examples of ant expenses. Sometimes there is no one at home or at your workplace the internet is only for work.

One that is very common is to buy the afternoon coffee that costs Q10 and you buy 5 a week, so imagine a total of Q 2,600 a year. It is food for thought.

As a married couple it is important to set goals, i.e. to make savings to get goods, go on vacation, go out to eat, these to me are quality expenses and for these expenses you have to be disciplined.

Every time an expense is going to be made I always think: will it be worth it, did I need it, will it be better to spend that money with my family? I believe that an “expense” in family is always an investment.