budgeting programs?

[sarcasticgirl]

our budget is bleeding at the moment. I want to try and track where the money is going so i can see what catagories we need to adjust. other than looking at my bank statement and plugging that into a spreadsheet... i was wondering if there were any programs out there that were helpful.

[constanz22]

Mint is pretty good. Takes a little time to set up and link all of your accounts. Many people love it. I like it but found it to be rather time consuming cuz when it assigned my transactions into categories, they were rarely right and I'd have to go in and re-assign them all if I wanted a true representation of spending. I've heard YNAB is good (you need a budget). I think they have some free services and some paid.

[mizbear]

In addition to what constanz has said, I would recommend joining one of the controlled spend groups- either on WIR or SS. The SS ladies are very helpful, but very detail oriented and can give you some tough love if you need it. The WIR has a bit more open form, but can also give you tips or tough love.
I lurk on SS and do the WIR CS/NS group. But I am going to go back to a more detailed tracking system.

IS it possible for you to go back several months- maybe 3?- and see where you can find palpable leaks in your budget? Maybe you are buying groceries and still eating out 5 nights a week? Or that charge card for your favorite shoe place.

My budget has a leak- it's hot chocolate flavored and comes from SB.

[sarcasticgirl]

Thanks ladies.

I've gone over expenditures and found the huuuuuge overages. looks like it's come from an insanely high grocery bill and misc. items we picked up since moving.

I'm back on the menu planning bandwagon to get the grocery budget back to being managable. also, no more letting DH go to the store. it shouldn't cost $70 for a few ingredients for him to make chili!

[mizbear]

sarcastic girl- (BTW- I LOVE LOVE LOVE your screen name!) I make my own chili as well and what I do is make one run every so often for the ingredients. I can usually get the tomato products on sale and get dehydrated chilis for about $3 a bag in the store- sometimes less if I go to the Latino market. My other spices I buy one run every so often in bulk. I also make it in bulk and freeze it so I can take advantage of bulk buys if I make meat chili- otherwise I make lentil chili with veggies- great meaty texture, less expensive and healthy! ;D (I can get lentils for 89c/bag.)

[sarcasticgirl]

miz- thanks... i usually go that route for chili... making a ton and freezing. when DH makes chili, he grabs his recipe and goes to the store and buys everything on the list, including all the spices. nevermind that we already have most things in the house! i cook from scratch all the time so we have a well stocked kitchen. he also uses a high quality cut beef. (i don't eat beef) He only does this when i'm out of town, which luckily doesn't happen often.

I've started the process of cooking in bulk... i got some chickens on sale and made 4 homemade chicken pot pies with tons of veggies. we'll get 4 dinners and have leftovers for lunch. spend only about $15! I have plans for more bulk cooking, lasagnes (i make sauce, and pasta from scratch) soups, chili and really anything else i can think of that i can make in bulk and freeze!

[mizbear]

FOr your hubby's chili- since it seems to be a "treat" of sorts for him... can he put the recipe where it can be found and you can pick up the cut of beef on sale or at a butcher where you may get it at a better price? I don't eat meat much anymore, and when I do, I buy at our Amish market because of quality. Just a thought.

[Deleted]

YNAB is an excellent program, it's so simple yet has completely changed how I handle my money. I religiously entered everything in MS Money for years, but it was pretty useless for budgetting and I abandoned it a few months after starting YNAB.

[sarcasticgirl]

Sept 26, 2011 8:29:15 GMT -5 mizbear said:

FOr your hubby's chili- since it seems to be a "treat" of sorts for him... can he put the recipe where it can be found and you can pick up the cut of beef on sale or at a butcher where you may get it at a better price? I don't eat meat much anymore, and when I do, I buy at our Amish market because of quality. Just a thought.

That's a great idea, Mizbear. I recently found on that the store near us had their meat on sale on wednesdays... So maybe I can check it out and grab the cow when it is on sale and pop it in the freezer (i don't eat beef, it it would be totally for him)
Thanks for the suggestion!

[sarcasticgirl]

Sept 26, 2011 8:57:36 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

YNAB is an excellent program, it's so simple yet has completely changed how I handle my money. I religiously entered everything in MS Money for years, but it was pretty useless for budgetting and I abandoned it a few months after starting YNAB.

so, you definately think it's worth the $60?

[salserabarby]

I'm very detail, so I have 3 spreadsheet and I use Mint. lol. Overkill I know but hey it works for me and since I sit in front of a computer working on budgets and spreadsheets anyways I might as well make some work for me.

I do use mint, both the web version and the Iphone version and I love it. They mostly duplicate my multiple spreasheets. The bad thing about Mint is that sometimes and then you're left without.

[Deleted]

Sept 26, 2011 10:41:07 GMT -5 sarcasticgirl said:

Sept 26, 2011 8:57:36 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

YNAB is an excellent program, it's so simple yet has completely changed how I handle my money. I religiously entered everything in MS Money for years, but it was pretty useless for budgetting and I abandoned it a few months after starting YNAB.

so, you definately think it's worth the $60?

I think it was one of the best investments I ever made. Btw, there is a deal running now where two can get it for $80, so if you find someone to team up with you can get iit for $40 each. There's also a YNAB thread on the first page of the YM board right now where someone has a 30% off link for anyone interested.

[sarcasticgirl]

perfect! thanks!

[bring in the new year]

Sarcastic girl,

Do you have on line access for your bank accounts?

If so, what does your bank download to? A lot of banks have deals with companies like quicken.

[twinmama85]

im overkill as well..i use mint (sorta) plus spreadsheets, plus my phone has my budget on post its, plus i use pageonce as well (not really budgeting though) i have my budget EVERYWHERE lol

[sarcasticgirl]

we ended up going with YNAB and it's working really well. we'll be getting the apps for our phones soon, i think!

[salserabarby]

Oct 10, 2011 20:09:04 GMT -5 twinmama85 said:

im overkill as well..i use mint (sorta) plus spreadsheets, plus my phone has my budget on post its, plus i use pageonce as well (not really budgeting though) i have my budget EVERYWHERE lol

OMG I thought I was the only one. lol.

[twinmama85]

Oct 11, 2011 11:40:30 GMT -5 salserabarby said:

Oct 10, 2011 20:09:04 GMT -5 twinmama85 said:

im overkill as well..i use mint (sorta) plus spreadsheets, plus my phone has my budget on post its, plus i use pageonce as well (not really budgeting though) i have my budget EVERYWHERE lol

OMG I thought I was the only one. lol.

im so obsessed with it cause i want my debt gone and i wanna follow my cash flow plan lol