What is Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) and How Does It Work?

Zero-based budgeting is a method of budgeting in which you start from scratch each year, rather than using the previous year’s budget as a starting point. This can be a difficult adjustment for some businesses, but it is an important tool for ensuring that every dollar is accounted for.

In this blog post, we will discuss how zero-based budgeting works, its pros and cons, and some examples of how to use it. We will also compare it to traditional budgeting to help you decide if this approach is right for your business.

What is zero-based budgeting?

Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is a financial planning system used by businesses to ensure that every dollar is allocated in the most effective way. Often called zero-sum budgeting, it’s a comprehensive approach to budgeting and cost management that helps managers better understand their finances and make sure money isn’t wasted on unnecessary activities or expenses.

The zero-based budgeting process

Step 1: Define Goals and Objectives 

The first step in a zero-based budgeting system is to define your goals and objectives for the upcoming year. This includes both business goals, such as sales projections, and personal goals, such as career development or training.

Once you have identified your objectives, you can begin to allocate funds accordingly. 

Step 2: Analyze Your Current Financial Situation  

The next step is to analyze your current financial situation thoroughly. This includes reviewing all income sources and expenses to determine where money is being spent and how it can be better allocated.

It’s important to have a clear understanding of where you stand financially before you begin creating your budget so that you can develop an accurate plan for moving forward. 

Step 3: Develop Your Budget Plan 

Once you have analyzed your current financial situation, the next step is to develop a zero-budget plan based on those findings. This means creating specific line items for each activity or expense and assigning a dollar amount to each item based on its importance relative to achieving your goals and objectives from Step 1.

For example, if one of your objectives was to double sales in the upcoming year, then it would make sense to allocate more funds toward marketing than other areas of the business. 

Pros and cons of using zero-based budgets

Advantages of zero-based budgeting

1: Using zero-based budgeting is that it can encourage departments or individual managers to think more carefully about their spending.

Because all expenses must be justified and approved for each period, managers may be more likely to scrutinize their budgets and consider alternative ways of achieving their goals that are more cost-effective. This can help organizations identify and eliminate unnecessary or wasteful spending.

2: Zero-based budgeting can help to align an organization’s budget with its strategic goals and priorities.

By requiring managers to justify and allocate all expenses for each budget period, zero-based budgeting can ensure that an organization’s spending is focused on achieving its most important objectives.

This can help to improve the effectiveness of an organization’s operations and ensure that its resources are used in the most productive and efficient way.

However, zero-based budgeting also has some potential drawbacks.

Disadvantages of zero-based budgeting

1: Zero-based budgeting can be time-consuming and resource-intensive to implement.

Developing and implementing a zero-based budget requires a significant amount of effort and coordination, particularly if an organization is not used to this approach. This can be challenging for organizations with complex budgets or large numbers of departments or cost centers.

2: Zero-based budgeting may be difficult to accurately predict costs and allocate resources in advance.

Because all expenses must be justified and approved for each budget period, it can be challenging to anticipate and plan for future needs and opportunities. This can make it difficult for managers to accurately forecast their budgets and allocate resources to achieve their goals.

Overall, the pros and cons of using zero-based budgeting will depend on the specific circumstances and goals of an organization.

In some cases, the potential benefits of more carefully considering and controlling expenses may outweigh the challenges of implementing this approach. In other cases, other budgeting methods may be more appropriate.

Examples of Zero-Based Budgeting

Marketing budget example

One example of a zero-based budget for a small organization’s marketing spend might look like this:

1. Define the budget period (e.g., one year) and the total amount of money available for marketing expenses.
2. Identify the organization’s marketing goals and priorities for the budget period.
3. For each marketing activity or initiative, specify the estimated cost and the expected benefits (e.g., increased sales, improved brand awareness).
4. Evaluate and prioritize the proposed marketing activities based on their expected benefits and costs.
5. Allocate the available budget to the most important and effective marketing activities.
6. Monitor and track the actual costs and benefits of the marketing activities to ensure that they are meeting the organization’s goals and staying within the budget.

For example, the marketing budget for a small organization might have a total of $100,000 available for the year. The organization’s marketing goals might include increasing brand awareness, generating leads, and promoting a new product. The marketing team might propose several different activities to achieve these goals, such as advertising, social media marketing, and attending trade shows.

Based on the expected costs and benefits of these activities, the marketing team might decide to allocate the available budget as follows:

• Advertising: $30,000
• Social media marketing: $25,000
• Trade shows: $15,000
• Other marketing activities: $30,000

This allocation of the budget would allow the organization to focus its marketing efforts on the activities that are expected to provide the greatest benefits and support its goals. The organization would then track the actual costs and benefits of these activities to ensure that they are achieving the desired results and staying within budget.

Zero-based budget for an accounting firm

An example of a zero-based budget for a medium-sized accounting firm might look like this:

1. Define the budget period (e.g., one quarter/one year) and the total amount of money available for expenses.
2. Identify the firm’s goals and priorities for the budget period.
3. For each expense category (e.g., salaries, rent, office supplies), specify the estimated cost and the expected benefits (e.g., increased revenue, improved efficiency).
4. Evaluate and prioritize the proposed expenses based on their expected benefits and costs.
5. Allocate the available budget to the most important and effective expenses.
6. Monitor and track the actual costs and benefits of the expenses to ensure that they are meeting the firm’s goals and staying within the budget.

For example, the budget for a medium-sized accounting firm might have a total of $500,000 available for the year. The firm’s goals might include increasing revenue, improving profitability, and expanding into new markets.

The firm’s management team might propose several different expenses to support these goals, such as hiring additional staff, investing in new technology, and renting additional office space.

Based on the expected costs and benefits of these expenses, the management team might decide to allocate the available budget as follows:

• Salaries: $200,000
• Rent: $100,000
• Office supplies: $25,000
• Other expenses: $175,000

This allocation of the budget would allow the firm to focus its spending on the expenses that are expected to provide the greatest benefits and support its goals. The firm would then track the actual costs and benefits of these expenses to ensure that they are achieving the desired results and staying within budget.

Monthly zero-based budget for personal use

Here is an example of a zero-based budget for a family of two:

Monthly Income: $3,000

Expenses:

• Rent/mortgage: $1,200
• Utilities: $150
• Groceries: $400
• Transportation: $300
• Entertainment: $100
• Savings: $150
• Debt payments: $200

Total expenses: $3,000

In this example, the family’s income is $3,000 per month, and they allocate every dollar to specific expenses. This includes necessities like rent and groceries, as well as savings and debt repayment.

By the end of the month, they will have no money left over, but they will have covered all of their expenses and made progress on their savings and debt repayment goals.

Zero-Based Budgeting vs. Traditional Budgeting

Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) and Traditional Budgeting are two very different methods of budgeting for an organization. Zero-Based Budgeting forces you to review every aspect of your budget from the ground up, scrutinizing each line item and relegating it to zero based on importance.

Traditional Budgeting, on the other hand, is simply extending existing budgets from month to month or year to year. It takes into account the previous budget and adjusts it based on expected changes in expenses, income, and other financial variables.

That’s not to say that one approach is better than the other – they both have their own advantages.

But if you’re in search of a budget system that allows flexibility and customization while also being tightly controlled, Zero-Based Budgeting might be right for you.

Other types of budgeting also include cash flow budgeting and 50/30/20 budgeting.

How can you become better at budgeting?

One way to become better at budgeting is to use a budgeting app. These apps can help you track your income and expenses, set financial goals, analyze cost savings, and stick to a budget.

Many budgeting apps are hosted on the cloud, which means that you can access them from any device with an internet connection. This makes it easy to track how you spend money and make adjustments to your budget on the go.

Some budgeting apps also come with helpful features like the ability to categorize your spending, set up alerts for unusual activity, and track your progress over time. This can help you gain a better understanding of your spending habits and identify areas where you can improve your budget.

In addition to using a budgeting app, there are other steps you can take to become better at budgeting. For example, you can:

• Start by tracking your spending for a month to get a clear picture of where your money is going.
• Set specific financial goals, such as saving for a down payment on a house or paying off credit card debt.
• Create a realistic budget that takes into account your income and expenses, and allocate every dollar to a specific category.
• Review your budget regularly and make adjustments as needed to stay on track.
• Consider using cash or debit cards instead of credit cards to help you stick to your budget.

Overall, becoming better at budgeting takes time and practice. By using a budgeting app and following the steps above, you can improve your financial management skills and take control of your finances.

Related: What Is Cost Leadership Strategy?

Zero-based budgeting wrap up

Zero-based budgeting is a great way for businesses and individuals to ensure that every dollar they spend contributes towards their overall success. This budgeting method requires you to allocate all of your money towards specific expenses and goals, allowing you to make informed decisions about how to best use your funds.

By following these three simple steps—defining goals and objectives, analyzing current financial information, and developing a budget plan—managers and individuals can create budgets that are tailored specifically for their needs while also ensuring that no resources are wasted unnecessarily.

If you’re looking for an effective way to manage your finances more efficiently, zero-based budgeting may be just what you need.