The Salvation Army Budget Calculator

Budgeting is extremely important to managing finances, but one unexpected expense can often snowball out of control and put people on the path to homelessness. Working with a median household income* of $5,400/mo, here's how a monthly budget for a family of four could break down:

Child Care**: around $2000
Housing***: $1300
Food****: $1000
Transportation*****: $747

Just for those basics, you're already spending over $5000/mo, and that isn't accounting for other expenses, like insurance, taxes, entertainment, or savings. 

Now, what if you...

• ... had a medical emergency, forcing you to miss time from work and out-of-pocket costs?
• ... got in a car accident, forcing you to pay for alternate transportation and costly repairs? 
• ... had a home emergency, such as a fire or flood, that destroyed property and forced you to quickly find a new place to stay?
• ... needed to travel unexpectedly for a family emergency?
  
• ... had your hours or salary cut at work, reducing your monthly income?
  

Just one of these emergencies could push you past your monthly budget. What if multiple happened at once? Or in back-to-back months? Suddenly, you're having to cut from essential spending just to get by. Too often, one emergency is enough of a disruptor to cause another. After a few months of not being able to pay bills or rent, homelessness may become your only option.