sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Jul 29, 2011 15:55:49 GMT -5
financialpeace- I hear you We have the same basic things over and over it seems. Spaghetti, burgers on the grill, chicken stir fry, etc. Not much rotation at our house either. Have you looked into the once a month cooking concept? Or considered making double and freezing half? We get a lot of those cheesy betty crocker cookbooks. Casseroles, Pasta dishes, etc. Those tend to be pretty basic and easy to make, plus if you and DH are on opposite schedules they re-heat in the microwave pretty easily. My brain nearly exploded today! Had to file the FUTA, SUTA, etc 2nd quarter reports today. The pr report I was working off of was incorrect so I had to manually calculate everyone's hours. One report timed out as I was doing it so I had to start over. Finally got them all done and went to cut checks to transfer money from regular corporate bank to payroll bank and my damn computer crashed. At 2:30 when everything had to be to the bank by 3pm. Thankfully DH was minutes away and fixed my computer. Printed my checks and dashed to two banks and walked out the door of the 2nd one at 2:59. I need a nap now
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financialpeace
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Post by financialpeace on Jul 29, 2011 16:23:58 GMT -5
Shanendoah- On the few occasions I do cook, it is often using the crockpot or making a big casserole that can feed us for a few days. One problem I have run into with the crockpot is I find it really difficult to find good recipes that don't have a bunch of weird ingredients that would require a run to the store. Also, DH is picky about crockpot cooking. He doesn't like his meat and vegetables cooked together . My challenge with casseroles is most of the recipes I know and find aren't that healthy. I have about ten pounds to lose, and I can't do it eating that kind of stuff. I eat kashi cereal and salad for the most part at home, especially right now because we are leaving for Hawaii next Friday. Totally unplanned, booked the tickets a week ago kind of thing, but very much needed. Will be paid for by the end of August. Now I'm scrambling to drop that ten pounds fast! I would love to get into once a month cooking. I googled it once but could only info on the concept and not good recipes for use in that type of thing. What I really need is to preview someone's weekly or monthly meal plan to get a better idea. Thanks for the links to those blogs. I will definitely check them out. Sounds like a hectic day Sheila!
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ses
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Post by ses on Jul 29, 2011 18:17:07 GMT -5
I am so stressed right now. I have been following the federal deficit debacle the last few days, can't anyone in Washington act like a grownup?
Financialpeace, I have been here since late 2007(before the "great recession") and have learned so much. Back then talking about saving and financial issues was like farting in church. The ladies here helped keep me sane during those stressful times so I am still here. You can't possibly barge in!!! New people give us a chance to help with someonelse's budget and not be stuck with pushing around our own budgets. Some people post a sample of their budget here. With many new eyes sometimes savings you never thought of can be found. I also suggest using a small notebook to record EVERY PENNY you spend. It can be a real eye opener. You hit on the biggest assist you can get from this thread, accountability. The members who are most sucessful check in frequently when first starting. This is not always a fun and easy journey, but always easier with friends along the way. I think you are lucky- I have only Safeway and Walmart to choose from! Sheila is absolutely right about weekly menu planning. Try to do it based on the weekly ads. Plan your menues around what ever is the loss leader. It saves in so many ways, you have your list and get just what you need so you are not tempted by stuff you really don't need and by not getting stuff you don't need you can free up some money to stock up on stuff you do use when there are fantastic sales. I think most of us start with the food budgets because it is so easy to see your progress. I do my version of batch, or OAMC cooking, and it really seems to make an impact on my savings- both budget and time. Tell us what kinds of meals you and your DH like and I will bet you get some delicious and easy recipies. There are some really good cooks here. Most of the best food in the world is based on simple ingredients and basic skills.
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financialpeace
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Post by financialpeace on Jul 29, 2011 18:57:37 GMT -5
Thanks for the info ses!
I already track every penny. I have a spreadsheet set up with our budgeted amounts and then actual expenses. I am super anal about tracking it, it's just sticking to the budgeted number that is the problem! I think I could stick to a budget very well on my own, but DH does not like to worry about the budget. It makes him feel poor, and in his opinion he makes too much money to worry about such things. Then he complains that our savings is too low and wonders why we can't buy a house or afford kids yet.
I will have to figure out what paper has the ads and when it comes out. I really don't know anything about that stuff.
My budget is way too embarrassing to post. Too much money on entertainment, too much debt, etc. We have really been working on the debt though, and we are down to our two car loans and three student loans, two of which are fairly small. I really want to stick to saving the cash up for purchases instead of buying on credit going forward, but I am a pushover when DH wants something. He works really hard for us, and I have a hard time telling him no because I feel guilty. My education didn't pay off at all, so I feel bad that we spent money on it and are still paying for it. That's a whole 'nother can of worms though. ;D
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mizbear
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Stand back. I have a budget, and I know how to use it.
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Post by mizbear on Jul 29, 2011 19:21:48 GMT -5
financialpeace- 1. Do NOT be embarassed about your budget. No one here is here to judge you. We all have our own issues. 2. Check out the monthly Grocery Challenge board here on WIR- I am on there and so are some of the other gals. They can help you with finding your ads and there are quite a few West Coasters whom can help you with the ads out that way. Some of us even trade coupons for favorite items. 3. Although there are some exceptions, most coupons come out with the major Sunday paper. Ads vary from place to place. I get almost all of my ads online through my favorite stores, have my store reward/ saving cards, and also get some coupons by e-mail. 4. I know men can be stubborn, but living within your means or being frugal does not make you poor and should not make you feel guilty. I know that's easier said than done and I don't mean to sound harsh, but if DH doesn't get on track with the budget, you could be headed for bigger problems than just your finances being in the red. I also try to do bulk cooking. I like versatile dishes- for instance I will fix beans or lentils or burger and then morph those into multipe dishes (soups, chili, burgers, sloppy joe, tacos, etc). ses- I too have been watching this with bated breath. A debt default could mean I have to go live DM/DGM/DB.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Jul 29, 2011 19:41:14 GMT -5
Sheila and Financialpeace - A couple years ago I made sort of a masterlist of recipes that I have made and DH and I liked. Back in April, I started writing down every month what I cooked for meals. I try to plan out my meals at the beginning of every month. THis month was a little more challenging because I had a few things I wanted to use from my garden. Anyway, now that I have nearly 4 months of recipes I can go back and look at see what I made each month. Then I can know if I want to plan it for the next month. I'll make meals 2 months in a row, but I won't make them 3 months in a row. I also try not to repeat meals within a month. It has definately helped me with meal planning. Plus I can hand the master list to DH and say choose 3 meals or choose a meal. If I just ask him what he wants, he says I don't care, but if I give him a list that he can pick from he will actually give his preference. FinancialPeace (can I call you FP?) - Definately post your budget. Even if it is embarressing, even if you know where you need to cut it can be really helpful just to have other people say hey you are out of line here or are you sure you are spending this much on that. I know this is nothing to really get super upset about, but when DH bought groceries today, he got cash back. We each get $40 for a 2 week period so this means he has already blown through his $40. 2. If he is low on allowance money then we have a pot of money for dates, eating out, trips, etc that he could have taken cash from. It isn't worth having a fight or even getting really mad over, but at the moment it is bugging me. Especially since the grocery bill was really high and I didn't put the specifics on there to make some certain dishes this weekend and next week. Given how bad we busted our grocery budget, I should just probably suck it up and make do with what we have.
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startsmart
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Post by startsmart on Jul 29, 2011 20:59:13 GMT -5
Hello all, busy day here and I'm just now getting on the computer. I took the day off for the most part and did NOT want to get sucked into work. So I went out and got my errands done (chiro and shopping) and found some great deals!
Goodwill - I found a perfect rack to air dry clothes for $1, two picture frames: $2.50 and $1.50 (they're big too) and a bunch of DVDs for $1.50/ea.
Also my composter arrived today! I'll get the receipt sent off for my refund tomorrow but it's already assembled! I moved it from the living room to side yard without trouble but I'll need to do a bit of reading before throwing my scraps in.
I also need to repot most of my plants. I found out that they don't drain well in the pots I have so I need to widen/create drainage holes. It's easy enough with a large nail and hammer but it also means repotting every plant. Grrr. Very annoying. I might do that in the morning while it's cool and then head out to the winery. My cousin's band is playing and they're awesome. music + wine = happy me.
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ses
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Post by ses on Jul 29, 2011 21:20:13 GMT -5
Fpeace--You need to google the TV program 'Til Debt Do Us Part and watch a few episodes with DH. It is a super program about the importance of budgeting. Very eyeopening. I check out the Safeway ads on line every Wednesday before making my list, or not making a list if there nothing needed in the pantry that is on sale. Smart shopping of the sales and you will be able to "shop" from the pantry/freezer as Sheila mentioned.
Never be embarrassed about posting budgets here. There is always someone worse off than you and someone better off, or just further along this journey. Eventuality, you will be one of the "experts" helping someone else.
Oh, an education is never wasted.
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financialpeace
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Post by financialpeace on Jul 29, 2011 21:34:17 GMT -5
You guys bullied me into it Here is a basic rundown of our budget or our target max for each area. I put notes where we usually have problems. Many of the figures are meant as an average. We don't always buy gifts every month or clothes or have work expenses, but my hope is to average out no more than that amount per month. I usually keep my tracking history 15 or 16 months. Rent "$ 875.00" Power "$ 90.00" Garbage "$ 34.63" Internet "$ 49.99" Truck Payment "$ 269.49" Car Payment "$ 342.62" Car Insurance "$ 120.00" Other Vehicle Expenses "$ 50.00" Groceries "$ 300.00" *Usually go over here or in the eating out category but rarely both in the same month* Eating Out and Coffee "$ 175.00" Gas "$ 300.00" Entertainment "$ 150.00" School (Student Loan Min. Pmts) "$ 371.91" Health and Beauty Aids "$ 150.00" Cell Phone "$ 122.00" Household Decorating "$ 20.00" Household Cleaning and Supplies "$ 30.00" Pet Expenses "$ 250.00" Gifts "$ 30.00" Clothes and Shoes "$ 100.00" Travel "$ 50.00" Work Expenses "$ 25.00" Renter's Insurance "$ 12.58" ATV Expenses "$ 50.00" Gym Membership/Trainer "$ 30.00" *Not currently paying anything but DH usually has a membership Hunting/Fishing/Camping "$ 25.00" Other "$ 256.78" Total "$ 4,030.00" Savings Nest Egg "$ 150.00" *This one rarely happens but the others are all automatic* Travel "$ 150.00" Truck Savings "$ 150.00" Baby Savings "$ 150.00" Car Insurance "$ 120.00" Total "$ 720.00" Income DH "$ 3,400.00" ME "$ 1,600.00" Total "$ 5,000.00"
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financialpeace
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Post by financialpeace on Jul 29, 2011 21:39:11 GMT -5
I want to clarify a few things now that I see my budget posted. I save the car insurance amount monthly, so we can pay it all up front every six months for a pretty hefty discount. So the car insurance savings washes the car insurance expense listed. I don't actually pay it every month, that's just the average monthly cost. I also pay renter's insurance annually but have it listed monthly in the expense. I can swing that payment whenever it comes due, so I don't save specifically for it like I do with the car insurance.
Most months we bring in a little more than this in income. DH works a lot of overtime whenever he wants something and feels guilty about not being able to afford to pay cash for it. For example, after we booked the trip to Hawaii, he signed up for eight extra shifts in August. He is an RN, so it is pretty easy for him to pick up shifts when he wants to.
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startsmart
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Post by startsmart on Jul 29, 2011 23:50:53 GMT -5
kudos and karma for posting your budget financial peace!
few questions...
when you are unemployed where will you be saving money? gas, insurance, clothes? what expenses will increase, if any? Can you equal out the $1600 you bring in after taking into account unemployment?
The only thing that stood out tonight (sorry it's late and I'm bushed) is this:
Pet Expenses "$ 250.00"
what kind of pets and why are they so expensive? I have 3 dogs and right now spend under $500/YEAR which includes *dog food = $26/month for the brand they all eat *registration = $45 *shots = $60 *misc toys/expenses = $50 *treats = $40
granted I have a few extra leashes, collars, lots of shampoo, flea medicine, treats and my dogs are healthy but $3,000 a year sounds excessive to me. Depends on how many animals you have and their relative health of course.
I've got to save up $200-300 for my newest dog to get fixed, but it's a one time expense.
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reeneejune
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Post by reeneejune on Jul 29, 2011 23:54:05 GMT -5
FP - May I ask what your degree is in/what industry you work in? Also, I think the Oregonian might be your best bet for coupons. The smaller papers have fewer ads. One other thing, both the truck and car payments seem awfully high, is there any chance of refinancing and lowering the payment?
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financialpeace
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Post by financialpeace on Jul 30, 2011 10:56:14 GMT -5
I figured someone was going to ask about the pet expenses . The reason it is so high is because my beagle has some chronic health issues and the worst luck imaginable. He has severe allergies so the food he eats is a little more expensive. On a good month when there are no emergency vet visits, I usually spend around $150 on them. On a bad month, it can easily jump to $400 or more which is why I hope to average no more than $250 a month over the course of a year. Expenses have been less since my lab turned a year old and no longer has all the extra expenses associated with the first year of a dog's life (shots, spay, training, etc.). I keep the estimate high because I never know when my beagle is going to have more problems. My dogs are my only hobby and the only thing I really spend money on. I am not much of a clothes person; the only time I spend money on clothes is when I wear something out because I've had it so long or I no longer have enough to fit me (my current problem thanks to the extra ten pounds I'm carrying around these days). I am expecting between $1000 and $1200 a month from unemployment based on the estimates I've done online. Truck savings and vacation savings will be on hold until I find another job. Both are not necessities and I have enough in the truck savings to cover any minor things that may come up. It is a general savings for tires and more expensive maintenance as well as a savings for a down payment on my DH's next truck. I also expect entertainment and eating out expensives to be significantly reduced while I'm unemployed, and I will keep the dog expenses to a bare minimum. Gas expenses should be reduced because I won't be driving every day. DH has also been riding his bike to work a lot more and will probably make a point of it while I am unemployed. He will also work OT if we need him to in order to make things work. Neither of the vehicles are able to refinance at a lower rate. I have a 2011 Subaru Outback at a 1.9% rate. We had a paid off trade in that they gave us a $14,000 credit for. I currently owe about $17,000 on it. If push comes to shove, I could sell it, but I love it and want to keep it until it dies. We got it a year ago after we got the new puppy. I had a two door civic si prior to that that just wasn't feasible for hauling two dogs around. We had been having some problems with the car anyway and it was out of warranty. We didn't want to fix it. I was looking at used vehicles or very cheap new and was hoping to finance at most $5000. My DH wouldn't hear of it. He wanted to have a "luxury" car for traveling and stuff (we do a lot of driving to visit family). My compromise was getting something that fit our current needs and would be perfect for a family car when that time comes. Vehicles are my DH's biggest weakness. And believe me, these car payments are very good for us. DH had a 2010 Toyota Tundra for a year before he traded it in for a 2011 Tundra with more bells and whistles. The first one was at 0%, the second one was at 1.9%. The payments were over $600. He kept that for about a year. He loved that truck, but in January of this year he finally realized that those payments were absolutely ridiculous. He traded down to a 2003 GMC Sierra. He owes about $14,000 on it because he got the extended warranty. I think the right is 3.5%. He hates it, of course, and I don't expect him to stick with it for too long. He definitely won't trade it while I'm unemployed, though. That's why I started the truck savings. I wanted to have some kind of down payment at least to help offset. I'm going to try to keep him from getting a different truck as long as I can, but he has a lot of peer pressure at work to have the newest and best things. He succumbs to it fairly often . I have two associates degrees: small business management/entrepreurship and marketing. I also have a bachelors in business administration with an emphasis on leadership and management. I have been in banking for the last four years. I absolutely hate it, but there isn't much else to do around here. Thanks for the tip about the Oregonian. Does it come out on Sundays?
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mizbear
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Stand back. I have a budget, and I know how to use it.
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Post by mizbear on Jul 30, 2011 11:24:39 GMT -5
FP- I don't see those as wasted degrees. The business area may be slow right now, but business is not- and is rarely ever a wasted degree. Have you ever checked with your vet about preparing home cooked food for your beagle? My DBs psycho ex was a vet and they had 2 beagles and a terrier- one of the beagles had allergies, so my DB cooked for the beagle. It cut down on dog food expenses and guaranteed that the dog got all the nutrients she needed. I did the same for ex #2's Blue Chow- He had a skin condition and broke out when you fed him the wrong food. So I cooked for him. And he was much more appreciative of my cooking than ex...
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reeneejune
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Post by reeneejune on Jul 30, 2011 11:36:48 GMT -5
FP - oh, a truck guy. say no more. I get it. Yes, the Oregonian comes out on Sundays, and it's generally available at Safeway, though when you pick it up, make sure it's still got all the inserts in it. With the "Extreme Couponing" show, ad theft is on the rise. I pick up the Albany DH instead, because I found a paper box that seems almost forgotten... there's a few papers in it every Sunday and I've never had the inserts missing. Anyway, the Oregonian seems to be the major paper for us, so you'll probably have better luck getting coupons there. The next time your hubby balks at having a budget, tell him "Poor people don't have budgets, SMART people have budgets". I read once that the secret of people who have 1 million plus net worths is that they don't go after all the flashy "stuff". Sure there's tons of pressure to have certain things, but everyone here will tell you, all those people piling the peer pressure on have a debt load that you DON'T want to acquire.
With your associate's degrees, have you ever looked into free lance work in those fields? Or being a virtual assistant? Startsmart knows more about it than I do, but in general it's something you can do from anywhere as long as you've got a reliable high speed internet connection and a good work ethic.
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startsmart
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Post by startsmart on Jul 30, 2011 11:41:20 GMT -5
thanks for the context, fp, it always helps to know more of the "why" behind the numbers For the insurance what I was referring to is updating your policy when you're not working. If you call them and let them know you're no longer traveling daily for work that'll cut down your yearly miles and the risk of an accident and they will usually give you a price break. Even if you paid the 6 month premium it would be a nice credit for the next time around. wow, your husband and the trucks! My dad is a caraholic. He will typically buy a car/year and sell one maybe every other year. However... as much as his hobby annoys me and means I never have a place to park at their house, his cars typically appreciate in value. We're talking classics like a 1968 Cougar or a 1911 EMF. So even a car that's now valued at $35,000 (like a typical new car) probably cost him $15,000 to buy and fix up (that's the hobby, finding parts and building these cars) and will only appreciate in value. Plus he pays cash. So while I totally get the new, pretty, fun car hobby have you looked at how much you and DH have spent on cars in the last 3 years versus how much they're now worth? Especially with multiple trade-ins I think it will be eye opening. And that reminds me I owe a payment on my hobby car ;D I send my grandma $200/month for the 1970 red Cadillac convertible that I'm buying for the rock bottom price of $6,500.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Jul 30, 2011 17:21:25 GMT -5
18 SDs, 12 NSDs... not gonna reach my goal, but I'll be close ;D
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ses
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Post by ses on Jul 30, 2011 20:22:03 GMT -5
You guys bullied me into it Here is a basic rundown of our budget or our target max for each area. I put notes where we usually have problems. Many of the figures are meant as an average. We don't always buy gifts every month or clothes or have work expenses, but my hope is to average out no more than that amount per month. I usually keep my tracking history 15 or 16 months. Rent "$ 875.00" Power "$ 90.00" Garbage "$ 34.63" Internet "$ 49.99" Truck Payment "$ 269.49" Car Payment "$ 342.62" Car Insurance "$ 120.00" School (Student Loan Min. Pmts) "$ 371.91" Cell Phone "$ 122.00" Renter's Insurance "$ 12.58" Fixed Expenses $1945.60 Groceries "$ 300.00" *Usually go over here or in the eating out category but rarely both in the same month* Eating Out and Coffee "$ 175.00" Gas "$ 300.00" Pet Expenses "$ 250.00" Gym Membership/Trainer "$ 30.00" *Not currently paying anything but DH usually has a membership (possible discount through DH’s job) Necessary Variable Expenses $1055.00[/b][/color] Entertainment "$ 150.00" Other Vehicle Expenses "$ 50.00" Health and Beauty Aids "$ 150.00" !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Household Decorating "$ 20.00" Household Cleaning and Supplies "$ 30.00" Gifts "$ 30.00" Clothes and Shoes "$ 100.00" Travel "$ 50.00" Work Expenses "$ 25.00" ATV Expenses "$ 50.00" Hunting/Fishing/Camping "$ 25.00"
Adjustable Expenses $680.00Other "$ 256.78" An awfully lot of mystery money! ?? $256.78 Grand Total "$ 4,030.00" Savings Nest Egg "$ 150.00" *This one rarely happens but the others are all automatic* Travel "$ 150.00" Truck Savings "$ 150.00" Baby Savings "$ 150.00" Car Insurance "$ 120.00" Total "$ 720.00" Income DH "$ 3,400.00" ME "$ 1,600.00" Total "$ 5,000.00" Total Current Monthly Income $5000.00 Total Current Expenses - $4030.00 Total Current Savings - $ 720.00 Unaccounted or Missing Money $250.00First off—Congrats on no credit cards!!! Very smart decision! Try to develop the ”pay yourself first” mentality and make your nest egg payment automatic. The “experts” suggest having an 8-12 months worth of expenses in your emergency fund since that is how long it takes on average to find a new job in this economy. Do you have a separate savings account for each of your savings goals? Or do you have just one account with sub categories on your spread sheet. I have several savings accounts, my nest egg (emergency fund), an “escrow account” for all taxes, insurance and medical expenses (since I track expenses it was easy to total all of those expenses and determine a monthly average that became a fixed expense in my mind.) It is even a checking account at a different bank so I am never tempted to dip into it. Since I own my home, I also have a “house” savings account for all repairs and maintenance. It is funded by insurance claims money (until things are repaired/ replaced) and the income from my small part time job. By bundling everything else into my emergency fund, it grows faster and with a larger amount I have more options for getting higher interest rates You will notice I rearranged your categories a bit for easier analyzing. The fixed expenses are fixed, so no savings on these items. The necessary variable expenses might be trimmed a little. The adjustable expenses are where you will probably find the most savings. What is up with the mystery and unaccountable money? Almost $500.00 is a lot of money!! I’ll accept $250 for pets ( although I think you might be able to reduce it)…..but $150 a month for health and beauty aids? Any way you can reduce that amout? I think your food budget (groceries and eating out) is not way out of line, but could be reduced quite easily if you start cooking at home.
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financialpeace
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Post by financialpeace on Jul 30, 2011 20:53:01 GMT -5
Any extra money goes extra on our debt usually. I'm not sure how the $250 got off somewhere. I will have to check my spreadsheet formulas. It is all supposed to work together so that changes in one area reduces or increases the "other" category in order to match everything up. That category is hardly ever used anymore when tracking my spending. Over the years I have added more and more categories as I figured out what we spent money on. Usually that amount is used in one of the other categories, either extra on student loans or some budgeted area we went over on. I recently got a macbook and it's been interesting trying to learn that spreadsheet program when I am used to excel. I will try to figure it out tomorrow. startsmart- I have been trying to get my DH to see the real cost of his truck thing and look beyond whether or not we can make the monthly payment. I think that is why he downsized his truck this past January. It reduced our total debt by $15,000 and reduced the payment almost $400. I will definitely look into the insurance thing. reenee- I love your statement "poor people don't have budgets, smart people have budgets." I will use that on DH. I'm not sure that I would be interested in freelancing or doing the virtual thing. I like the idea of it, but I like the stability and comfort of a "normal" job. I will check into those options, though, if I can't find a job and DH refuses to move. Or I may move without him and tell him he can come if he feels like it, but I'm going either way. mizbear- I have on occasion had to cook for my beagle (usually during one of his pancreatitis bouts). It was actually more expensive than the kibble he is on and was way too much of a pain for me to do regularly. I won't even cook for myself regularly! Although I plan to start cooking more for me and DH, I am going to leave well enough alone with my beagle's food. If he develops further problems, I will cook for him, but kibble is easier especially since we travel a lot and either bring the dogs with or board them. The pay myself first thing is how I finally am able to do some regular saving with all the savings other than the "nest egg" which is really an EF. The reason it is not automatic is because that money is in our checking account. Gets a far better interest rate than any savings account I can find (started at 3% but now is much lower). I hide that money in the account by subtracting it out of my balance and tracking its balance separately. It acts as a cushion in case we go over our spending amount. DH does not give me receipts or pay attention, so that often happens a couple days before his pay day. I make the account look negative and do not "advance" the money from the savings amount. It is cleared when his paycheck comes in. It is only $2000. We have a little more than $2000 between the other accounts for a total of a little over $4000 in savings. I will be getting a total of around $5000 or $6000 when all is said and done with my job. That will be the starter for the real EF which I am hoping to make a separate account, probably with an online bank or something if DH will agree. He generally lets me do whatever I want but the totally online thing freaks him out. The baby fund is with SmartyPig and that worries him a little, but I love it. I am having a hard time making my budget reflect actual spending because of the way I average the expenses. Many of the categories have lower spending than what is budgeted for. I rarely use any of my paychecks (which are direct deposited to a separate account) for any regular bills or expenses. For example, my paycheck this month went mostly to student loans and to pay for my summer class. I paid off one of the loans and we paid a total of $1144.52 on student loans this month. That is well over the minimum due listed in the budget. We do have credit cards and use them fairly regularly, but we don't typically carry a balance. If we use the cards, paying it off is first priorty. Our savings accounts are all separate. I like it better that way even if it means having multiple accounts. I don't think the health and beauty aids category and really be reduced. It covers all prescriptions, medical/dentil bills and co-pays, as well as things like face wash and other toiletries. I have psoriasis so the skin care stuff I use is on the spendy side. Any other brand I try makes the skin on my face flaky and red. I may experiment again with cheaper options once I run out of my current stuff. I haven't decided on that yet.
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moneysquirrel
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Joined: Dec 19, 2010 13:12:39 GMT -5
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Post by moneysquirrel on Jul 30, 2011 21:35:34 GMT -5
Update: 11 NS and 13 CS days = 24 NS/CS Days
Just checking in with a quick update. Yesterday was a spend day, most of it was on the CS side but EO and candy moved it to a spend day. Today was a definite CS day -- in budget item without any other spending.
Hope to finally see HP tomorrow. Will also need to stop at the grocery to get a few perishables. Other than that no other expected spending.
I really need to get ready. Monday begins the school year for me again. (I definitely know that it gets earlier every year for teachers.) I managed to get the bulletin board paper and will check my supply box to see what other items are needed before the special sales next weekend. I have built up a nice stash so now I only get those items that I am short on and that I know that I will be using at school.
I also have finally begun to get to work on a few pieces of jewelry. Had to repair several items for family and friends. I plan to finish up an order that is due in September in the next week and then I will let the creative juices take over and try to get a few new items prior to the start of the craft shows. I have one in October and one in November so far. Not sure if any others will be coming up but these two are my usual ones. Hope to get some private orders as well.
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financialpeace
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Joined: May 17, 2011 16:10:54 GMT -5
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Post by financialpeace on Jul 30, 2011 21:44:08 GMT -5
moneysquirrel- what kind of jewelry do you make?
ses- I totally spaced that I plan to discontinue hormonal birth control after I see my doctor in August. Without that prescription, I think I can get the health and beauty aids category down to $100 a month.
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3catslady
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Post by 3catslady on Jul 30, 2011 22:34:13 GMT -5
26 NSD/CSD, 2 SD, 2 EOD, I did it and I will probably get 1 more tomorrow because I don't plan on going anywhere to spend except to Church which is budgeted. I did it.
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startsmart
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Post by startsmart on Jul 30, 2011 23:16:00 GMT -5
financialpeace- thanks again for sharing so much, it does help us help you.
Seems like you'll benefit most from making measured cuts. Don't think a $150 health & beauty budget can get down to $25 in a month. Try cutting 10% or $15. Are there items you can buy generic? Or a larger package so the monthly cost is lower? How about doing a price comparison on your most expensive items? Finally, call around about the prescriptions. Even if you can't save money on the prescription itself, many stores now have bonuses like a $10 gift card when you switch over your prescription.
When was the last time you did a price comparison on your insurance, cell phones, internet or other big expenses? Last year I switched car insurance and saved $400 over the year. Pretty soon my cell phone plan will be updated and I routinely ask my internet provider for discounts or to match current promotions. It doesn't hurt to ask and if you do it nicely and have a good history most will agree.
freelancing- I actually started my own company last year which is why reenee mentioned me as a reference. It really does depend on your family - do you get health insurance through DH? You definitely need to plan more with freelancing and be responsible for your own medical, retirement and taxes but if your location does not have great jobs it is something you can look into if you like.
Just for job inspiration - I quit my boring, low paying, horrible desk job last September and already have made $30,000 more in the past 11 months by freelancing. And I'm working on a strategy and clients so that I can realistically double my income in the next 12 months.
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reeneejune
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Post by reeneejune on Jul 31, 2011 2:07:00 GMT -5
FP - I too have very sensitive skin, though mine is severe allergies rather than psoriasis. I think, sometimes, we get sucked into the idea that only the expensive, special brand will work with sensitive skin, when in reality sometimes simpler is better. I have makeup issues, though 90% of the time I have lovely skin without the help... so instead of wasting the money on the expensive makeup that I could wear, I just skip it unless it's a special event. I know that works for me, but I know plenty of people it wouldn't work for. Shrug. Life is a balancing act, and only you and your hubby know what you can, and can't compromise on. We can only point out areas where we could help you save money, if you're so inclined.
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mizbear
Senior Member
Stand back. I have a budget, and I know how to use it.
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:12:46 GMT -5
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Post by mizbear on Jul 31, 2011 10:44:05 GMT -5
FP- According to some of the very knowledgable ladies and gentlemen I have met here, Smarty Pig and ING anre 2 of the best online banking programs going. As far as sensitive skin, have you tried Cetaphil, Cerave or Basis? There are some other really good sensitive skin cleansers on the market, but those in particular come to mind. In my budget, I tend to separate my meds and my things like facial cleansers, makeup, etc. It gives me a better look at what is necessary and what I might be able to pass up if need be.
But I will also admit that my budget starts with $880/month.
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DVM gone riding
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Favorite Drink: Coffee!!
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Post by DVM gone riding on Jul 31, 2011 14:58:14 GMT -5
My Finally July update: I get THREE nsd for wed, thur, fri this week!!! Can't believe I managed that. I guess one advantage of being crazy busy is not spending money, next week I will probably make up for it !! So July total 11nsd/5csd better then I planned!!!
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pointy
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Post by pointy on Jul 31, 2011 18:54:47 GMT -5
final update: 23/23 NS and 30/28 No QVC ;D
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3catslady
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Post by 3catslady on Jul 31, 2011 19:50:26 GMT -5
27 NSD/CSD, 2 SD, 2 EOD. I feel good. I am probably gong to have to spend for my one cat tomorrow if I can get her in a crate. It looks like she has a lose tooth and it is bleeding. She won't let me touch her face and I doubt she will let me take her to the vet. She will only let me pet her and when I go to pick her up, she hisses and runs and hides. Most of the time, she will scratch me if I am not careful. When does August start?
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moneysquirrel
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Post by moneysquirrel on Jul 31, 2011 20:05:01 GMT -5
Update: 11 NS and 14 CS days = 25 NS/CS Days HP was great. Picked up my short list at the grocery and nothing else. Today control spend day.
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ses
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Post by ses on Jul 31, 2011 21:21:32 GMT -5
I just want to thank FPeace for posting her budget. It prompted me to go back and examine mine in detail. It is getting a little too easy to stay in budget, so it must be time to tighten things up a bit. Of course, doing it while listening to the debt limit bickering and, hopefully, a solution made me re-examine it for a bare bones budget. No matter what happens, I seriously expect some more hard times ahead, and possibly a credit down grade even yet. I keep reminding myself the Fifties were not as idyllic as people remember them, and to make today the best I can, whatever the conditions.
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