A survey done by Bankrate. com says many people are not budgeting their expenses. Are you one of them?

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Why Budgets Fail

Yes, we budget. In fact, we still keep track daily of our expenses tho we no longer need to...have a good handle on it since we have done this for years. It still reminds us of what we have spent, how we spent it and if we should have spent it! :) I can't imagine not having a budget. Plus I keep the checkbook balanced with each check (yes, we still use a few checks each month). There are still a few things I don't like automatically withdrawn. I think it's a 'power' thing with me! :)

We have a budget at our house. We review it monthly to see where we are and how much we have to spend. I can't imagine trying to live without one.

 yes mom and dads are seprate and so is mine this house been paid off and land but my budget I do mine myself and its tight if I want to waist onehundred or so no I can't I shop threw the year and even my food look for sales yes I have my own food but I donnot get food stamps don't need it if I lived on my own again then yes since Im more careful with budgets compared to what I use to do to budgets so now Im a tightwad over this and no Im not black belt yet maybe in two years when Im not drinking up diet coke means more money for me and that money I use up is gonna be socked away this is a fund for a car since I had to pay off everything else.

Yes, I do use a budget.  It was difficult being married to a spender, but smooth sailing now.

Cindy, I was drinking 2 bottles of pop a day.  I figured it was costing me $1 a day AND money for the medication for the headaches the artifical sweetner was giving me. That's over $365 a year, 1/3 of my house insurance payment.  I quit cold turkey and have not had one since I started the exercise thread.  Now, if you quit, you may have some caffeine withdrawl headaches but drink lots of water and you should be fine in a couple of days.

Susan

We have a monthly budget.  I can't do it without having it all written down each month.  Not an option to not have one at this time.

 

Grannie_Sue:

Yes, I do use a budget.  It was difficult being married to a spender, but smooth sailing now.

Cindy, I was drinking 2 bottles of pop a day.  I figured it was costing me $1 a day AND money for the medication for the headaches the artifical sweetner was giving me. That's over $365 a year, 1/3 of my house insurance payment.  I quit cold turkey and have not had one since I started the exercise thread.  Now, if you quit, you may have some caffeine withdrawl headaches but drink lots of water and you should be fine in a couple of days.

Susan

 

I may have to do this its a bummer but at least you gave me an idea quit the stuff put up with headaches rather that then money down the drain and yes good thing excerise is the thing ...lol thanks

 

Now that we have very few bills and extra income, we budget the bills and gasoline, but only roughly budget the groceries as we are in stock-up mode right now. Other expenses like clothing just come out of our 'fluid savings' envelope in our safe.

We have a monthy budget and an annual budget. 

The monthly budget includes "everything" and not a dime left without a destination--including the checking account cushion of approxiamately $50.  We are paid on the last day of the month--all bills are paid online on the next day for the entire month, cash withdrawal from the bank to fund our cash envelopes, and we're done for the month.  Occasionally we have to "tweak" the budget throughout the month so we have a quickie budget meeting to figure it out, make the changes on our computer, and it's done. 

Once you have a working budget in place, and commit to it--it is like getting a pay raise--you suddenly have more money to use for essential categoires once you write a dollar amount for clothing, or eating out, or similar things and then stick to the agreed upon amount. 

A budget is all about controlling your income rather than letting it "disappear" and then you are left wondering where it all went while you live paycheck to paycheck. 

We LOVE our budget!

 

*9/8*9yes

and we stick to it .. with a family like ours budget is important ..

we have a lot of wiggle room and there are time we have to adjust ... Like the 4.78% raise in power ..