How to use expense side of 50% rule

[Mike S]

Just getting started and I'm trying to figure out how to run the finances and accounting for rentals that I plan to buy.

Do you run the expense portion as a total fund or more like a line item budget? Take maintenance for example. I've calculated 10% of gross rent for maintenance. Should I make that a line item and deduct regular maintenance out of it or do you dump all the expenses into a fund and draw out of that. How about vacancies? Do I line item that and pay myself rent out of that line?

I already think that taxes and insurance need to be line itemed as those are fairly fixed and will need to be paid regularly, so why not line item the rest?