Managing your personal finances can be a daunting task, and traditional budgeting methods don’t work for everyone. However, “reverse budgeting,” a unique approach that empowers you to take control of your finances and achieve your goals more efficiently, may work for you. In a typical budgeting process, you track your income, expenses, and savings goals in a forward-facing manner, allocating your earnings to various expenses and saving whatever is left over. Reverse budgeting flips this process. Instead of allocating money to expenses first, you focus on saving and investing a predetermined amount before covering your expenditures. Here’s how it works. SET YOUR SAVINGS GOAL Start by determining your financial goals, whether saving for emergencies, retirement, a vacation, or a down payment on a house. Consider creating separate savings accounts for different goals to track your progress. M aster Y our M oney W ith R everse B udgeting A NEW APPROACH TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM
AUTOMATE YOUR SAVINGS Arrange for automated transfers from your income to your savings accounts on payday. By doing this, you treat savings as a non- negotiable expense, similar to rent or utility bills. COVER YOUR EXPENSES After setting aside your savings, use the remaining money to cover your monthly expenses and discretionary spending. This process forces you to be mindful of your spending and live within your means. ADJUST YOUR LIFESTYLE If your expenses exceed your remaining income after savings, it’s time to make lifestyle adjustments. Look for areas where you can cut back without compromising your essential needs. TRACK YOUR SPENDING Keep an eye on your spending habits by reviewing your bank and credit card statements, using budgeting apps, or maintaining a spending journal. This helps you identify areas where you can make further financial improvements and adjustments.
Whether saving for a specific goal or simply building a stronger financial foundation, reverse budgeting can be a valuable tool in your financial toolkit. Give it a try!
M aking a D ifference W ith H er A ll -I n A pproach MEET CHEVELLE DOUGLAS
Chevelle’s legal career began 16 years ago and she joined our team in July 2023. She smiles as she thinks back to her first meeting with Esther. “I felt like I knew her for a very long time, and it was just easy talking with her,” she emphasizes. “You want to be at a place where it doesn’t feel like work. So, working with people you like and respect is very important to me.” Prior to joining the team, Chevelle worked as a Fulton County Magistrate Judge and also in juvenile court, where she represented the interests of children in juvenile court dependency cases and superior court divorce and child custody actions. As she recalls, it was rewarding for her to protect their interests and earn their trust. She believes her own family makes her life richer. As she talks about her upbringing, she shares the genuine respect and love she has for three people in particular.
very difficult issues, being kind goes a really long way. I’m also inspired by my great-grandmother Ruth. She was a lady of grace. I carry that with me each day because it’s important in the work we do, to be honest and have grace providing difficult information to clients and working with other attorneys,” Chevelle. “The other lady was my grandmother Shirley. She was a small lady, but she was mighty. I take that with me because, in some cases, there is a difficult set of facts, and you still need to represent your clients to the best of your ability.” In her free time, Chevelle looks forward to purchasing a trailer and using it to explore the outdoors. She also likes taking in new experiences, including hot air ballooning, ziplining, and swimming with manatees. Whether in her day-to-day work with her clients or her free time, Chevelle takes a true all-in approach to life.
True leaders give their all to those around them. That’s the spirit Chevelle Douglas brings to her work at Vayman & Teitelbaum, with her focus on all types of family law, including divorce, custody, visitation, child support, and juvenile court. “A lot of the time, the people who are going through family or divorce issues have a lot of different problems they’re facing,” Chevelle says. “What I enjoy is taking chaotic situations, organizing those, and developing solutions to problems. It’s a challenge. I do a lot of redirecting of situations and helping my clients find peace.”
“One is my great-aunt Selma, who was one of the kindest people. In my work, dealing with
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