Budgets

[virginia guy1100000000 0]

Hey does any one know how to keep your budget in the game running smooth? Yet at the same time expanding your facilities

[TekindusT 3,809]

First of all, welcome to Simtropolis!

To keep a balance budget and getting a surplus at the end of the month; the key is ALWAYS having an eye on your public services individual budged. You can individually adjust how much money need your elementary schools, high schools, hospitals and so on.

During the first phases of your city, when it is very small, you have to adjust very well your power plant individual budget. Keeping a power plant giving 3000 MWh when your city only takes 300 is pointless and very money-spending. When I began playing, I spent a lot of money in my cities until I realized the blame was on the power plant...

The same situation happens when you upgrade from a small clinic to a hospital and from small to large schools...

[Sense 0]

Indeed, keep public services (schools, hospitals etc) very limited to about current number of students/patients. Then, whenever they go on strike you quickly increase the budget to meet the new situation. Also, make sure not to spend too much on government buildings, trash and city beautification, as those surely can take up a lot of your budget.

[DCMetro34 576]

This always worked for me awhile ago, but now I do the above.

But, what I used to do is make a patch of industry, and then let it set for a bit and the income should be about +1000. Then, you slowly build your residential/commercial (not too close to it, though. Then, you have some pretty good headway; also I do missions for money.

[Fee_Nicks 7]

Even if this doesn't really need to be said, only give your city the basic amenities when starting out - education and power at least. Only give the other kinds when you city gets larger and can afford the additional services.

Also, try to have larger lots rather than smaller ones - you'll need less roads that way.

...as well as keep power/education/health funding in line with your needs, but that's been said already.

[jmusacha 2]

What I do when I want to make sure my budget stays in balance is always before I built anything that has a montly cost, I check my budget figure and ask myself, "can I afford this?"  For example, if I have a budget surplus of $300, I know I can afford a library, police station, fire station, etc.  Of course things aren't really that simple (there is no zero-sum game) as presumably the structure will raise desirability and demand, and thus produce extra tax revenues that will help defray the cost.  I mean, if something only cost money each month and didn't help you make money there would be no sense in building any services.

On a related note, I know that in SC3000, your mayor rating would suffer if engaged in deficit spending (spending more than your city took in).  I haven't noticed any such factor in SC4 though.  Does anyone know more about this?

[Cougar2004 127]

Only add costs as really needed, usually your sims will tell you. Drop the sliders to the lowest amounts that will satisfy the needs. Keep your sims happy with lots of trees, parks, good traffic solutions, and the right zones that are in demand. The zones bring in your money, and as you get more sims, you will need more services, but the money will be there. This system is simple but usually works for me for all sized and type of cities. Hope that helps.

[Sense 0]

I slightly disagree with some of the posts above. In the beginning, you can easily neglect education and healthcare as the town is too small to be able to afford such services. However, in the beginning I tend to spend more than I can afford, as you have the starting buffer anyway, and education and healthcare is really an investment. The sooner you lay down some good services (even if you can't afford them), the sooner it will have risen general education/health levels to acceptable levels that attract more commerce and residential demand, which can then compensate the extra costs of the beginning.

[Deathcat001 8]

Originally posted by: jmusacha

On a related note, I know that in SC3000, your mayor rating would suffer if engaged in deficit spending (spending more than your city took in).  I haven't noticed any such factor in SC4 though.  Does anyone know more about this?quote>

I have done simple tests on this. you will get messages from your advisor if the city has massive deficits and is under $150,000. And i had mayor rating issues when the city was in debt. 

[TekindusT 3,809]

Originally posted by: Deathcat001

Originally posted by: jmusacha

On a related note, I know that in SC3000, your mayor rating would suffer if engaged in deficit spending (spending more than your city took in).  I haven't noticed any such factor in SC4 though.  Does anyone know more about this?quote>

I have done simple tests on this. you will get messages from your advisor if the city has massive deficits and is under $150,000. And i had mayor rating issues when the city was in debt. 

quote>

You can even be put out of office if you have a really big deficit. I think this happened to me when I was -500,000, but I'm not sure.

I agree with Sense, I usually put a clinic and an elementary school when still nobody has moved it yet. It provides wealthier sims in less time and allows the city grow faster. Yes, you can be several times in a deficit, but once your city grows and you don't have to replace your facilities, the deficit becomes surplus.

[Sense 0]

Originally posted by: TekindusT

You can even be put out of office if you have a really big deficit. I think this happened to me when I was -500,000, but I'm not sure.

I agree with Sense, I usually put a clinic and an elementary school when still nobody has moved it yet. It provides wealthier sims in less time and allows the city grow faster. Yes, you can be several times in a deficit, but once your city grows and you don't have to replace your facilities, the deficit becomes surplus.quote>

Usually this doesn't even create a deficit (well monthly deficit, sure, but not on your 'bank account'). The couple of hundred of Simolians you lose each month will more than be offset in about ten years after you placed the services, due to increased growth.