In most businesses, the logistical department is the backbone in bringing goods from one destination to the other. Given that it is very expensive to send merchandise by air or by boat, the best thing to do is to use trucks.

Brand new trucks are expensive. This is the reason that some have decided to lease one instead. The problem here is that there will be times that it is not available when needed so entrepreneurs still have no choice but to get a truck.

There are dealers that offer used trucks. If the size that is required is not available, the next place to check out is a government facility that has surplus vehicles. The facility has lots of equipment including military vehicles that can transport goods in any terrain and location.

It will be a good idea then to check it out since there may be something there that will suit the requirements of the person.

Government surplus trucks are well maintained. These were on lease from the manufacturer for a few years and when the contract expires, these are sold off so that new ones can be ordered.

Anyone can go to the government surplus auction. Those who are of legal age and possess a driver’s license can bid on any of the items as long as the person has enough cash to pay for it in the end.

The bidders can inspect the interior and exterior of the truck to check if it is in good condition. The maintenance record can also be seen and given to the person once this is won in the auction.

The government will honor payments in cash, credit card or check. Aside from paying for that amount, the individual will have to pay for the proper taxes before being issued a receipt and document so this can be registered under the name of the new owner.

Government auctions are done in different venues all year round. This allows the individual to buy one or two first and then perhaps buy other models in the future. These are usually announced in the newspaper and online so one can stay informed when this event will take place.

There is no limit to the number of vehicles that can be bought at the government auction. This is good for those who have a limited budget and want to get a fleet of small trucks to help expand the business.

Owning a fleet of trucks doesn’t have to be expensive. All it takes is for the person to know where to get it at a cheap price and then winning the bid so this can be used to deliver the goods.

This makes the government surplus auction very practical because there are times that the final bid is still a few hundred or thousand dollars cheaper should one think of getting it from a used truck dealer.

When you start working with making a household budget it is extremely important to track your spending and all your expense both on a weekly and monthly basis. Many people dread tracking their expenses and recording every receipt but this is by far the best way to gain control over your spending. There is always a huge gap between what people think they spend and what they actually spend each month. So, tracking your spending is the only way to establish a working budget.

In order to track you spending you will need the following two budget worksheets:

#1 Weekly Expenses Report Worksheet – On this worksheet you will record all the spending for a given week. You will want to have four copies of this worksheet for a given month. Carry it with you to record expenses or make a habit of recording expenses at the end of the day with your daily receipts. Make sure to include a description of the item, the date purchased, the amount and the expense category. You will also want to write down how you paid for the item whether by cash, check, or credit card. This will give you a very detailed report of your weekly spending.

#2 Monthly Expense Record Worksheet – After you have filled out your weekly worksheet for a given week, you will want to transfer all spending and expenses over to the monthly expense record worksheet. It is very helpful to first fill out the weekly expenses report worksheet because people forget to record certain spending when just using the monthly expense record worksheet along.

After filling out these two worksheets you will have effectively tracked your spending for the month. Using the monthly expense record worksheet, you will now have the information you need to create a working budget for next month.

If you want to control your finances, you can’t let them control you. You gain control by making wise day-to-day choices, following the path towards long-term goals and by building a foundation of necessities, such as insurance and emergency savings.

In order to do any of these things — make choices, realize goals or save — you have to budget. I know it doesn’t sound fun. But it is the one way to achieve financial success.

Start by thinking about it this way — by sticking with your plan, you will gain more than you ever expected. Budgeting will allow you to realize your goals. You will have more money to spend in the long run.

No matter how much or how little you make, budgeting is essential. If you already think you know where your money goes without writing it down, try writing it down for one month. You will be surprised at what those pennies are adding up to be.

Budgeting lets you know where your money goes. You are managing it. You are able to start saving for a home, for college and for retirement. You can even find room for that trip to Hawaii.

Someone said once, and I really like the idea, that you can’t just make more money to have more money. You have to spend less than you make.

I will admit that software programs make it nice to track a budget. I used one for years to track our spending through our checking accounts. Not only can you easily balance your checking, you can print out reports that divide your spending into categories. You can easily print out the totals of your tax deductions. Many programs even allow you to scan your tax receipts in for safe keeping.

We no longer use the program, due to my husband wanting to help with the financial management. He is uncomfortable with computers. So we keep log books instead. The key to tracking your expenses isn’t necessarily to write down everything you spend when you spend it. It is to ask for and keep all of your receipts for things. If you don’t get a receipt, you’ll have to write it down.

So either way, take the time to add up all of those spending categories. For example, a daily cup of coffee can cost you $547 a year. If you smoke two packs of cigarettes a day, you are spending approximately $3000 a year. If you eat your lunch out every day, you could spend around $2,600 a year. Three drinks after work once a week can add up to $1092.

Cut all those things out and you could save over $7000 a year. That’s a lot of money. Did you know that coffee, cigarettes, lunch and drinks were costing you that much money?

By budgeting and tracking your spending, you are able to see the areas you can cut back on. You may find that you don’t have to sacrifice very much to achieve your goals. After all, what is more important, putting $7000 a year into your retirement savings or keeping up with your current spending habits?