First I would like to thank Mitch for the opportunity to be a guest blogger on his retirement page. It really is a great honor to contribute my expertise to the WhoTrades community. Today I'm going to talk about making a budget. Chances are, you have talked about making a budget with your significant other in the past, or did it yourself on an excel sheet if you live alone. Everyone knows to include things like rent, food, and travel, but there are lots of categories you most likely overlooked as well. Here are some items that you may not have considered when you were making a budget: Charity - What good is earning money if you can't put it to good use and move society forward? It doesn't matter if you're religious or a nonbeliever, you don't need to tithe in order to donate. There are tons of charities out there that can benefit from your generosity. Everyone who gives has a good heart, regardless of their background. Relationship Management - Do you have friends? Of course you do. It's tough to maintain friendships during your adult life, so why not set aside an amount that you could use to throw dinner parties and invite friends over. Gym Membership - As Mitch mentioned in one of his previous blog posts, what's the point of having wealth if you don't have good health? Having good health is the ultimate form of wealth, so invest in a gym membership. Tips and Gifts - No one sets aside an amount for tips, but imagine how much better service you would receive if you tipped everyone in all walks of your life, not only your servers? Here are some ideas: Your child's teachers, the doorman at your apartment complex, your uber driver... get creative! A true emergency fund - Set aside an amount of your income to put as cold hard cash for a rainy day fund in your safety deposit box. Home Improvement - Instead of randomly repainting your entire living room, why not set aside a small percentage of your paycheck every month and put it towards home improvement? And there you have it. Some creative ways you could budget your income. Good luck and let's hear some more creative ideas you guys have!