Step 1 Know what you’ve really got 1 Use monthly figures Your full budget asks for monthly figures. This is because your creditors will expect to see how much you can offer to pay them monthly. If any part of your income or outgoings is not paid monthly, you will need to work out the monthly amounts. This will help you to create an accurate budget, which is easier to keep to. Change weekly amounts to a monthly amount Step 1: write down your weekly amount and multiply it by 52. Step 2: divide the answer from Step 1 by 12. This is your monthly figure. Or Change fortnightly amounts to a monthly amount Step 1: write down your fortnightly amount and multiply it by 26. Step 2: divide the answer from Step 1 by 12. This is your monthly figure. Or Change four-weekly amounts to a monthly amount Step 1: write down your four-weekly amount and multiply it by 13. Step 2: divide the answer from Step 1 by 12. This is your monthly figure. Example Joe gets paid £50 every four weeks from a private pension, so he needs to use the four-weekly instructions. Joe writes down his four-weekly payment of £50 and multiplies it by 13 = £650 (Step 1). This gives Joe his yearly amount. He then divides £650 by 12 = £54.17 (Step 2). This gives Joe his monthly figure. If you need more help working out your monthly figures, contact us for advice. Or, you can use our online budget tool which will do it for you. Go to www.nationaldebtline.org and click on Your budget. Page 17