Small Biz Owner
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Post by Small Biz Owner on Dec 31, 2010 7:34:35 GMT -5
I have a goal to spend less and save more. What about your plans?
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Post by suzwantstobefree on Dec 31, 2010 9:02:14 GMT -5
I really want to spend less and save more this year too. For me it is important that I don't buy things on a whim. I have to plan better for all purchases and make sure the things that I buy are things that I both need and want.
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Small Biz Owner
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Post by Small Biz Owner on Dec 31, 2010 9:37:01 GMT -5
I am trying a new budget. Sticking to it will be the hard part.
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Post by rumples on Dec 31, 2010 10:06:15 GMT -5
We had a few large expenses this past year that were not expected so we really need to spend less this year. We have a couple of large pre-planned expenses coming up, such as DH's parents' 50th, but we're trying to absorb those into the budget. As sbo said above, sticking to it could be the hard part.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Dec 31, 2010 12:49:04 GMT -5
2011 will be a "spend more" year - or else! I've been telling myself for the last 3 years that I would buy new livingroom furniture (and a rug), a new TV, and a new PC (or Mac) but I just haven't ever gotten around to it. The PC is now 10 years old... the rest of the stuff is "legally able to vote or drink" and some of it is almost old enough to "have a midlife crisis"! Some of it is in sorry shape. And almost beyond a "couch cover" to make it better. I have the money (or know how I'd finance and pay off quickly) so the purchases would include "smart spending" and they are really needed. I just need to do it!
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Dec 31, 2010 12:53:53 GMT -5
spend less, but pay off more. the total outflow is the same. but, if I can keep myself in check, I might be debt-free except for my mortgage. I made my last student loan payment yesterday, all that remains now is some lingering CC balances.
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Dec 31, 2010 13:20:34 GMT -5
Yes and No. I need to be spending significantly less so I can spend a whole lot this fall when it is time to pay tuition to DD's college of choice. Which right now is out of state.
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Small Biz Owner
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Post by Small Biz Owner on Dec 31, 2010 13:29:42 GMT -5
ATSiaRU that furniture age stuff is funny. I actually have been replacing one by one the old furniture with even older antique furniture. The antiques are made much better than most furniture manufactured in the past 50 years.
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Post by leeann on Dec 31, 2010 15:46:08 GMT -5
I need to spend less and save WAY more. Now to get there, good question. My grocery spending will most likely increase but......I want our going to eat to decrease. I also want to decrease the stupid spending on magazines etc............... My bills are pretty much the same, they won't decrease at all.
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Post by bobbysgirl on Dec 31, 2010 17:36:07 GMT -5
I need to spend less and save WAY more. Now to get there, good question. My grocery spending will most likely increase but......I want our going to eat to decrease. I also want to decrease the stupid spending on magazines etc............... My bills are pretty much the same, they won't decrease at all. Testing
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Post by bobbysgirl on Dec 31, 2010 17:37:36 GMT -5
I need to spend less and save WAY more. Now to get there, good question. My grocery spending will most likely increase but......I want our going to eat to decrease. I also want to decrease the stupid spending on magazines etc............... My bills are pretty much the same, they won't decrease at all. Magazines can be had for 5.00 for a year, if you like them a lot. There are 2 sites that often have big sales on them. Just make sure you are not on auto renewal.
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Post by bobbysgirl on Dec 31, 2010 18:08:01 GMT -5
I really haven't thought about it yet. Guess I better get going.
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Post by kadee on Dec 31, 2010 19:32:59 GMT -5
I'm going to be spending & saving about the same but I'm going to spend in different areas than I did last year. This year will be more about getting ME fixed for future years.
Did that make any sense? I'm going to be spending on myself! Hope to stock up on some things so they won't be needed for many years to come!
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naturallyfrugal
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Post by naturallyfrugal on Dec 31, 2010 20:03:32 GMT -5
Like 'bobbysgirl' mentioned, I get most of my magazine subscriptions for around $5/year....I did pay $30/3 years of House Beautiful because it's one of my favorite magazines, but I still think that's pretty cheap entertainment. I hope to spend less this year and make more (fingers crossed that I can find a job this year), but I don't know if that's actually going to happen. I'm in the process of getting a dental implant and still have to pay for the post and crown and, wouldn't you know it, one of my veneers came off this week and I have to replace it ($$). I also just received notice from my tenant that he is moving out (rental condo) and I need to go down and do some updating before I put it on the market to sell - I have a $5k budget for updates and possible new furniture (it's at the beach and the properties sell completely furnished). Ok, typing this I now realize that I probably won't be spending less this year and am now depressed about how much I will be spending!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2010 20:19:42 GMT -5
Hopefully spend less in the right areas and more toward debt and saving. I'm hoping to have CCs paid off by Feb. That will just leave my car payment.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Dec 31, 2010 20:51:51 GMT -5
It's hard to say, really ~ my PLANS and actual REALITY don't often intersect these days!
* I just got notice that our electricity rates (already near the highest in the nation) are going up 3 percent as of January 1. * Our state income taxation rates go up as of January 1. * Our sales taxation rates go up as of January 1. * Our water, sewer and trash rates are going up, too. And so is car registration (vehicle license fees.) * Insurance premiums? Going up. * The cost of stamps? Going up. * The cost of gasoline? Who knows ~ we're at $3.33/gallon right now.
I do think we'll spend more in 2011 ~ primarily because we plan to take a bigger vacation this year. We didn't vacation much in 2010 ... my wonderful DH was deployed in January, February, March, September, November and December ... and didn't want to go anywhere in the other months except for a few trips to the California coast. While I did spend 2 weeks in Florida in November (hanging with him before he left for Iraq), that was a pretty thrifty trip for us: we used miles to pay for my tickets (except for about $100), I stayed with him on the base (no extra charge for that), and he already had a rental car (no extra charge for that.) We ate breakfast "in" while we were there, for the most part ... and we ate about 1/2 the lunches + dinners in, too.
In 2011, I want to take a 10-day Alaska vacation in May or June, and my wonderful DH wants to take a 10-day vacation to Hawaii in December. Doing both is technically feasible (from a time off standpoint), but I really don't want to spend that much on travel in one year. I'd rather have one "big" trip and a few coastal weekends. We can use Alaska Air miles for either 1 free ticket or a discount for Alaska.... which is a factor to consider. But my wonderful DH really wants to do Hawaii in December ... we haven't been to Hawaii since 2008. (We stay at the military resort there for about $130 per night ... considerably less than comparable hotels.)
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motherto2
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Post by motherto2 on Jan 2, 2011 20:38:27 GMT -5
well, I'm going to be spending about the same, just different ways. My cc will be paid off in February, and then I'll be spending all of my extra money towards my mortgage. Plan is to have it paid off by the time I retire in a few years. 2010 was an expensive year. Alot of house remodeling and DS off to college.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2011 20:46:23 GMT -5
I will make significantly more this year than last year. At worst I want to spend the same as last year and save much more. I would like to spend less, a lot of my spending wasn't controlled last year. I don't think it would be hard to maintain my quality of life and spend less.
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Post by emptypockets on Jan 2, 2011 21:01:00 GMT -5
goal to spend less. Buy only what we actually need, not want (from Suze Orman). Pay off bills. Save more. "Invest" more in self sufficiency, meaning gardening on our back porch in pots (no yard) and fixing everything ourselves. Canning and drying more of our food during harvest times. Buying in bulk. Down sizing as much as possible. We are now retired, so we must practice what we preach since we are now on fixed income. No more overtime. Old age is looking at us through the screen door. Both our families have long life tree. His mom is 92; my mom passed on at 96. That means our retirement savings hafta last a vetty long time. Looking more into solar and wind to reduce power bill.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2011 11:04:58 GMT -5
Spend more... sort of!
We plan on buying some furniture this year. But we have saved up for it.... so is that spending more or not??
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Post by emptypockets on Jan 3, 2011 14:50:50 GMT -5
it's spending more; however, it is budgeted for and saved for in advance, so it is not impulse buying and budget breaking.
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ners
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Post by ners on Jan 3, 2011 21:52:51 GMT -5
I hope to spend less. I was unemployed for 5 months in 2010 and found a position with less pay so I will have to spend less or I will increase debt.
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cronewitch
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Post by cronewitch on Jan 3, 2011 22:10:54 GMT -5
I am going to try to spend more but I don't know if I can make myself do it. I am thrifty to the point of cheap and don't buy things based on price even if I might want them. Tonight for example I went to Costco and only got soaps for dish washer and dish washing by hand, coffee filters, pancake mix and rotisserie chicken nothing fun or yummy. I wanted chips or crackers but looked at the price per ounce then thought about how not good for me they are and didn't get any. I also didn't get some yummy drink that was 9.88 for 18 but was sugar free. I can't seem to get myself to spend more. I don't see how people can just put things they want in the cart without thinking of the price.
I can afford to spend more but just can't let go of the money unless it seems really worth it. It is easier to spend hundreds than to dribble it away.
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Opti
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Post by Opti on Jan 3, 2011 22:19:25 GMT -5
I'm planning to spend more money to fix my car. I plan to earn more money this year to compensate.
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vnot
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Post by vnot on Jan 3, 2011 22:24:05 GMT -5
I plan on spending less this year. I reviewed my expenses for the last couple years (Quicken):
2009 - $32,894.99 2010 - $20,069.05
Goal for 2011 - $18,000.00 and routing $ into savings/ cc payments.
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Poppet
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Post by Poppet on Jan 4, 2011 13:48:49 GMT -5
Well, 2011 seems like an financially ominous year for my family too. I've got the same budget concerns too. Everything's going up, up, up. I've been creating various budgets with every possible worst case scenario just short of a zombie apocalypse. I plan on spending less on fun stuff and more for boring stuff like health insurance and gasoline.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Jan 4, 2011 14:05:59 GMT -5
I always "plan" to spend less and save more, but it all depends on those unexpected, but possible emergencies that pop up - an unexpected car repair (even though you do the regular maintenance), the unexpected appliance that bites the dust, etc. And then there's this ugly thing called inflation. If gas rises to $4-5 a gallon, we probably won't be spending less.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Jan 4, 2011 14:08:21 GMT -5
I plan on spending less this year. I reviewed my expenses for the last couple years (Quicken): 2009 - $32,894.99 2010 - $20,069.05 Goal for 2011 - $18,000.00 and routing $ into savings/ cc payments. vnot: Either you did a REALLY good job in 2010 or a REALLY bad job in 2009. In any case, forge on - you're on the right path!!
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telephus44
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Post by telephus44 on Jan 4, 2011 14:53:20 GMT -5
My goal for 2011 is to spend more, but to have it concentrated on big ticket items on our list, rather than frittering it away on eating out, etc.
List: Snowblower Generator Chest Freezer Table and Chair set for Dining Room Backup Sump Pump the basement Family Computer for Living Room
I realize that all of these are "wants" not "needs," but in my mind they are closer to needs than a new shirt or another trip to Starbucks.
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vnot
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Post by vnot on Jan 4, 2011 15:08:26 GMT -5
vnot: Either you did a REALLY good job in 2010 or a REALLY bad job in 2009. In any case, forge on - you're on the right path!! Thanks! 2010 was both good and bad. I didn't work for about 8 months but then I also got into couponing to save money on groceries/supplies so that helps!
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