Budgets

Debtors Anonymous

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:01:24 GMT

Dezar All, Today's SACRAMENTO (CA) BEE has a story about Debtors Anonymous. http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/2324211.html Yours in Hiiim, Deb

HELP!

BizzyChicky — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:18:40 GMT

When it comes to budgets, I've tried to come up with them in the past, and for one thing or another, we end up not sticking with it. How do you set a budget and STICK with it? I was reading the envelope budget thingy, but do you put the actual money in the envelopes? Wouldn't it be safer in the bank? I really need help. I keep ending up back in the same situation I'm in now, and have no idea how to get out of it...

Thank you in advance.

[:'(]

September Budget and Expenses

Brandy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:35:58 GMT

Is everyone still on track for budgeting expenses and keeping those expenses within the budget.

Have you laid out your expected expenses for September? Now is the time to do this!

Pear Budget

mommatothree — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:22:16 GMT

It's online budgeting software. Anyone ever use it or know anyone who has? What did you/they think? I'm not computer savvy by any stretch so programs like Quicken or Books intimidate me. Plus we don't even currently own them, so even if I wanted to try and learn them better I'd have to buy them. I've tried making a spreadsheet, can't even really pull that off.

https://www.pearbudget.com/

How to start again with budget

bugout69 — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:47:16 GMT

I am very familiar with Dave Ramsey and TTM, but have been really struggling with how to get back on track with the budget. First of all, my husband and I don't have any credit cards and we live paycheck to paycheck. My question is how do I get started on the envelope system/budget when I am paying bills each week with the paycheck we get for that week. There is nothing extra to set aside. I have so many questions, but don't even know where to start.

Need help with budget

Isaiahsmom91302 — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:20:56 GMT

Hello, my name is Melissa (24 yrs) and I am married to my high school sweetheart Jeremy (23 yrs) We have two kids together, Isaiah (6 yrs) and Ameerah (1 yr) We don't really have a budget right now and seem to be getting far into debt because of it. My DH works full time and I am a SAHM. We owe $8,000 on our car still and have $4,000 is credit card debt. I'm not sure if you can help but I am going to tell you what our bills are like so you know what we are working with.

DH makes $1,700 a month

Rent $569.00 (We are on HUD)

Power $100.00 (usually)

Cable/Internet $105.00

Home phone $7.00

Cell phone $40.00

Car payment $158.00

Car Insurance $140.00 (2 cars)

Credit card payment $100.00

We are on Medical with no share of cost (so that's free)

We get WIC and also Indian commods (which helps SO much) Even though we get so much food from these I still spend so much on food, like $400 or more...Of course alot of that I think is eating out which isn't good. I try to budget $200 for food, $100 on gas and $100 on household things we need. We go way over on most of those.

By the way the foods that we get from the Indian commods are: 4 beef roasts, 8 lbs of hamburger, 2 whole chickens, fresh veggies and fruit, 20 cans of fruit, 20 cans of veggies, milk, dry beans, rice and other stuff that I don't rememeber right now. So as you can tell that helps alot!

Also something that is very bad is that we charge around $100 a month on our credit card for things we need like food and gas when all the money is gone.

So that's pretty much it so if anyone can help or has advice it would be greatly appreciated!!!

June budget

latenightleader — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:36:48 GMT

Anyone want to post? I like seeing how people are budgeting their money, it makes me look at mine again.

March Budget

Cinnamonhuskies — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:41:25 GMT

I did it!

I am within $8 of a balanced budget this upcoming month! I haven't been that close in almost 2 years! If I increased my savings deposits, it'll be further off than $8, so savings will still be deposited, but it will be very very small.

The main thing that helped was no car insurnace for a second vehicle, no gasoline for a second vehicle, and no maintenence either.

Balance

chocolatechic — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 13:51:30 GMT

I have been putting money asside every pay day in a special savings account in the avent that the husband loses his job.

I have about $2000 in there. Not much I know, but it is what I have.

At the same time his hours have been cut, so our pay has been lower, my daughter just had her wisdom teeth removed, so there is that new bill, and she is also in therapy. That co-pay went up from $10 a visit to $25 a visit.

My daughter has severe food allergies, so her groceries take about 50% of our food budget. With these extra bills, I haven't been to the grocery for the rest of us for over a month.

I have been just eating bread and eggs for about 3 weeks now.

I do NOT want to take any $$ out of that savings account, but I am getting sick of bread and eggs.

How would you go about making do, when there is nothing to 'do' with?

OK Brandy, I admit the envelopes aren't working

Cinnamonhuskies — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:31:02 GMT

Debit card and checks seem to have worked better this month. Reasons?

1. Dh never remembers to cash the first paycheck of the month for my envelopes.

2. We don't make enough in the first week to cover our envelopes...with his old job we did so it was easy:1 paycheck for envelopes 3 paychecks for bills.

3. I run a budget report from documents, and an income/expense report from Quicken, each week after shopping so I know exactly down to the penny how close to budget I am weekly. I can't do that with the envelopes.

4. It's easier than takin X number of dollars each week out for groceries, etc...then dh would have a list with him when he goes to the bank so he gets the right amount out each week in cash for the envelopes. Yeah, that'll happen! Not!

But I still am so used to my leather Dave Ramsey envelope wallet that I don't want to get rid of it. So when I get misc cash (like egg money and survey checks)during the month, they go in the envelopes.

February Budget

Cinnamonhuskies — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:14:04 GMT

Ugh. Here we go:

Income $2200.

Church 160.

Mortgage 879.

Electric 80.

Phone/Internet/Long Dist. 98.

Grocery 150. ( I hope)

Cabelas card 100. (thanks to dh)

0 interest card 50. (almost paid for the hay tent & Menard's misc.)

Eye Doctor 65. (emergency visit by dh)

Gasoline 160.

Insurance 130.

Non Food Household 25.

Misc 75.

Tickets for Dh & Ds to Sportsman's dinner 80.

Cash on hand for dh and I 80.

Dining 80.

Livestock Grain 40.

Charities 28.

Medical Insurance 106.

Total expenses 2386. (SHORT $186.00)

I'll need about $610 for my cash envelopes out of this.

Nothing to savings this month.

January Budget

Brandy — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:12:34 GMT

What does your budget or set expense list look like for January? Will you make it? Does it look like a good month?

2009 budget

AmyC — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:45:20 GMT

I was just wondering if anyone else does a yearly budget? I use quicken to record everything so I used it to create a yearly budget. I imported all the different catagories that I used in 2008 to a budget, average them over 12 months and adjusted accordingly to our 2009 goals. Hopefully this way money will be in the account when auto registration or other irregular things occur. Does anyone else do anything like this? I think it will be a good help to us as far as getting out of debt. I specifically alloted about an extra $115.00 a month towards debt removal for that very reason!

December Budget

misscas — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:44:25 GMT

Expenses:
$355 mort.
62 gas
23 electric
52 water
27 internet
50 car ins.
200 food
65 gasoline
30 toiletries
50 pets
10 cleaning/household
13 Rx
20 Shrink bill
10 med bill
50 entertainment
50 car repair fund
35 extra mortgage principle
-----------------
$1102 Total

Income:
$1116 SSDI
$200-400 from part-time job

November Budget

misscas — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 04:07:17 GMT

$355 mortgage
62 gas
23 electric
38 gym
25 internet
$52 water
50 car ins.
150 food
100 gas
12 toiletries
28 pets
9 cleaning
4 rx
27 psych dr
18 phone
15 hair cut
10 clothing
9 postage
50 entertainment
15 gifts
50 oil change/tire rotation
-----------
$1102 total

$1116 income...$14 surplus

October Budget

Cinnamonhuskies — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:00:17 GMT

Yeah I know it's early, but my September budget is botched, and we paid off debt. So here's the new and improved budget:

Income: 2280.00

Church $200.

Savings $75.00

Mortgage $878.

Electric $90.

Phone/Internet $81.

Trash $22.

Grocery $175.

Medical Bill Payment $50. ( 0% interest )

Auto Gas: $225.

Auto/Term Ins.: $156

NonFood: $25.00

Cash on Hand/Misc.: $80

Dining: $75.00

Livestock Feed: $45.

Charity: $28.

Medical Ins.: $86

short ($11.00)

Back on the Envelope System

Cinnamonhuskies — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:24:36 GMT

After getting rid of the credit cards and a medical bill, dh's income just barely reaches our expenses. But enough so that we are going back on Dave Ramsey's envelope system. Since dh never spends money, or uses his atm or debit card, this works pretty good for us in the past. The first paycheck of the month and part of the second payweek goes to filling the envelope, Gas-Grocery-Household-Livestock-Dining-Misc.Personal Cash. These 6 categories we can usually pay cash for. All the other monthly expenses we typically write checks for.

Here's hoping going back to cash envelopes reins in our overspending.

September Budget

Esiders — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:54:53 GMT

Brandy - hope you don't mind I'm starting this thread.

What are you budgeting this month?

Finally got it together

redw4552 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:49:01 GMT

I am glad to report that I am tackling my debt head on with a plan that involves saving and working extra, while not buying things that I don't need. Will be paying back student loan debt from a different account and the money put into that account won't even exist to me. I will have more than enough to live on. I am proud of my plan and can't wait to put it into action.

July Budget

Brandy — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:32:45 GMT

I know some of you are already getting the bills that will be due in July and working through expected expenses. Post your budget and compare your actual spending through July.

Totally over budget!!!!!

Bakersdozen — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:54:17 GMT

I just tallied my June receipts for the month..this does not include any household bills, I've Spent $1570, on shopping, groceries, gas and entertainment for the month. That is all of my Paycheck gone. I wasn't kidding to hubby when i said we us his paychecks to pay for all the major items, Rent & bills. And i pay for groceries and entertaiment..it's no wonder we have a hard time saving for a house!!!

School's Out for the summer

Bakersdozen — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:04:07 GMT

School is out for the summer and many of us have a trip planned, please tell us what it is and write what you are budgeting for this. Also when you return post on what you saved and what was spent. Happy travels!!!

June Budget

Brandy — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:07:09 GMT

I hope you all did well in May but if not, may it be better in June.

Share your budget and track your expenses!

Difficulties Making a Realistic Budget

Pamelaw — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:27:39 GMT

Just like the rest of us, we are paying $4.21 for a gallon of gas and often double prices for food compared with last winter. I am tracking all costs but it's really frightening. Instead of $100 a week for food and $60 a week for gas (for two people plus cats, dog and nearly adult kids who are in and out) like in the past year, we are scrambling to find the cash to keep it all together. I understand how to set up a budget, it's just that these days prices vary (or rather increase) from week to week so it's hard to plan and impossible to see what even next week's financial needs will be. In my budget notebook I have actually written for july and august, "HOLD TIGHT and just get through until fall" HA! That's my plan for the rest of the summer. (two children will be back at college then so our day to day expenses will calm down, I hope.)

Is anyone else feeling this kind of "how do I balance my budget (weekly or monthly) when I don't know how high the prices will go?" Or should I be looking at this differently? thanks for any help. I feel like I'm walking through muck and it's tough going. - Pam

May Budget

Brandy — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:41:00 GMT

Are you having to make financial changes to meet your budgeted needs? Set your May budget and track your progress with the other stretchers.