The J
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 11:01:13 GMT -5
Posts: 4,821
|
Post by The J on Jan 20, 2011 19:01:12 GMT -5
ImaAngel: Your husband is military. Get USAA. Their website is awesome. It lets you categorize transactions so that all the work is done right online. Plus you can't beat their services. I guess I'm one of the weird ones that keeps tracks of everything. I have three spreadsheets that I use simultaneous throughout the month. I balance my checkbook every day and I keep track of every single cent that I spend. This didn't just magically happen tho. It's taken me some time to become disciplined. I've spent alot throughout my life so far and about a year ago I realized that "stuff" doesn't mean anything nor will it make you happy. In regards to your husband, what you can do is give a cash allowance for the week. Dave Ramsey calls it blow money. He can do whatever he wants with it, that way you don't have to account for every single dollar. I think MAC is an East coast thing and a pre-debit card thing too. Yes, we do have USAA. I will have to check out there budget feature. Ok...if I hand my husband money and tell him it is blow money...he is going to hand it back to me and say "ok now blow". Sorry...sorry...sorry...I will take my spanking now. One J coming up!!
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Apr 28, 2024 23:31:49 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2011 19:01:27 GMT -5
Hey! Not a bad idea! That means you get "double the blow" money!
|
|
|
Post by gsbrq on Jan 23, 2011 17:11:08 GMT -5
I don't track every purchase, because I don't have the patience for it. But doing an annualized budget has really helped me reach my financial goals.
I do something like sroo4; my check goes into the bank, I take out my cash "allowance", then automatic deductions go to my Roth, my short-term savings, my long-term savings, and the joint account that we use for household expenses (bills, mortgage, etc). So there's nothing left in checking (except for a small cushion that I keep there just in case), and I never actually write any checks from that account.
I don't track my cash allowance, just use the envelope method to split it up (groceries, clothes, and fun/entertainment/pocket cash). To me, it's not important exactly how I spend it, as long as I stop spending when it's gone.
I love this method! Bills are always covered, money is already set aside for car or home repairs, all my needs are met, and I don't have to do any day-to-day expense tracking.
|
|
fairlycrazy23
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 27, 2010 23:55:19 GMT -5
Posts: 3,306
|
Post by fairlycrazy23 on Jan 23, 2011 18:21:18 GMT -5
The people that are able to live below there means probably don't need to budget, they just naturally live that way so typically have enough money to cover there expenses, including saving/retirement.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Apr 28, 2024 23:31:49 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2011 7:15:28 GMT -5
Well I did set up an account at Mint. I tried the USAA budget tool, but it kept freezing up on me and I don't have patience for that. So looking at everything on Mint makes me really nauseous. I am not saving enough for retirement. UGH. That sucks. I am on pace to have all of my CC debt paid of by the end of the year. So that is cool. I am ahead of my "Cruise" goal. Yes, I am taking a cruise even though I have debt and not contributing enough to retirement..bite me I DESERVE it after not living with my husband for a year and him finally getting to come home! So there. So I did map out a plan to up my contributions a bit and a *shudder* budget. I had to tweak it though because the stupid thing said I should only budget $400 a month on groceries. Uhm...not happening with 3 kids. So I changed that to $600. I do not use coupons because I don't buy processed box stuff. So now that I feel all grown up...I will get ready for work.
|
|
Gardening Grandma
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 13:39:46 GMT -5
Posts: 17,962
|
Post by Gardening Grandma on Jan 24, 2011 11:11:38 GMT -5
I have a fairly detailed budget. I track most expenses with Quicken and enter them on an excel (pages, actually since I'm using a Mac) spreadsheet. I only started doing this a few years ago when DH wanted to retire.
Living on a retirement budget is different than when there's a regular paycheck coming in. There are no raises to anticipate, no cost of living adjustments, and no overtime. What you have is all you have.
It's helpful to me to see, year to year, where our expenses have gone up and where they've gone down. It also helps me keep track of the irregular ones both scheduled (like annual) and unscheduled (like a large vet or medical bill).
I don't try to track it down to the dollar; but I like to be able to have a ready answer when DH asks, "Where does it all go?"
|
|
Tired Tess
Well-Known Member
I'm so ready to wrap it up.
Joined: Jan 16, 2011 8:47:41 GMT -5
Posts: 1,313
|
Post by Tired Tess on Jan 24, 2011 14:09:12 GMT -5
Circumstances change to fast and often to write a budget. I do try not to spend and use coupons and such. Nice to be back on the board and reading the posts. I was Roseofclair in my previous life but could not transfer the name here.
|
|
mak
Initiate Member
Joined: Dec 29, 2010 9:12:51 GMT -5
Posts: 62
|
Post by mak on Jan 25, 2011 11:48:13 GMT -5
I always have had a plan, but DH and I just started using a monthly budget a few months ago. We have big savings plans this year, so we want to stay accountable. We do a zero balance budget, but our "zero" balance in our checking account is around $3k so I don't have to worry about paying the house payment before or after payday depending on how the month falls. We just make sure each dollar coming in for the month is either spent where needed or saved. We also do not carry debit cards to our main account.
We have a separate account (which I also have a spreadsheet for) that is used for misc spending and it is also all budgeted/allocated, but not as closely as the main account.
I am a bit over the top with my spreadsheets right now, but in order to meet our goals we have to be strict. I am sure we will not be as strict in a few years when the kids are older and I am working 40 hrs again.
|
|