If you’re thinking of buying a house, the first thing you need to do is sit down and go through your finances with a fine-tooth comb. 

Weighing up your incomings against your outgoings will give you a good idea of how much disposable income you have, and what you could potentially afford to pay out on a mortgage.

Below is an example of a basic budget planner. This is a good starting point as you can clearly see any fixed outgoings against any flexible expenses. Feel free to add to it, and personalise it to make it your own.

For a more indepth look at your finances, try using our budget calculator.

Professional advice

A mortgage adviser can help plan your finances. We can look at your monthly expenditure to see how much money you have left over each month, and how much you could afford to borrow. 

If you're buying a house on your own, you might want to read our article 'how to get a mortgage when you're single', for some great hints and tips!