do you have a budget and follow it...

[carole]

Actually that made very interesting reading, and i thank you for your input, it is always of interest to me to see how other's do it all, i used to do it on my computer too, but it was some horrible accounting programme i just could not get the hang of, mind you i was very new to the computer back then, i am much more efficient at it now, hubby suggests i use a spreadsheet, but for now i am using the old fashioned method of pen and paper.

I too will put any surplus left over from summer power bills towards the winter as i know i have not enough for then, but over estimated for the summer hopefully, and if we manage to get our heat pump this year that will hopefully keep the bills much lower.

Wow i think your grocery bill is fantastic, i hate to tell you how much mine is for three of us and four kitties, i could make some cuts i guess, but i am at the age where i like a little of life's comforts, sure i may have to do without in other areas, but it is worth it, i also think when you get to my age group you have to look after yourself healthwise, so i make sure we eat healthy foods, more expensive breads,milks etc,anyhow just my way of thinking.

Vacations, holiday, hmm what on earth are they? have not had one for over seven years,except for one night away, i think they are a luxury we just cannot afford,much as i would love to get a break from routine.,anyhow i am determined i am going to win a holiday yet, i sure enter enough competitions and i am somewhat lucky in that area, so here's hoping.

Well would be good to hear some more about how you all budget? so looking forward to them, keep them coming, thanks.

[Catlady711]

Wow i think your grocery bill is fantastic, i hate to tell you how much mine is for three of us and four kitties.

Just to clarify.

My cat budget is separate from the human groceries. My cat envelope gets about $50 every payday to last them for normal things (food, litter, vacc, medicine, toys). If something extra comes up (surgery, lab work, dentals etc) then I have to either gradually put more in that envelope or raid from somewhere else then pay it back to myself.

So totaling human grocery for two and 7 cats is about $210 per every two weeks. Granted I do get discounts on all the kitties medical stuff from work, and when I order the special food Jack needs.

[carole]

that is still fantastic,we do have one extra person, my teenage daughter so that does make quite a difference, but you have three more kitties than me, i am still thinking WOW, wish i could have such a low food bill.

It is all about robbing peter to pay paul isn't it? yes my phone bill was ten dollars over my budget, so i pinched from the clothing allowance, boo hoo,anyhow i don't really start the proper budget till beginning of Oct, just toying with it a bit at the moment.

These are my outgoings.

Mortgage
Rates
Insurances, house, contents and car
Power
phone.
Internet provider.
Clothing
cats
schooling fees etc
haircuts
vets
medical insurance
Petrol
Car maintainence
house mantainence including buying things for home, sheets, towels etc etc.
Bk fee and any interest owing
Life insurance policy with bank
Life insurance
Doctors
Hire purchase accts, only one at the moment.keep to a minimum.
Food
Buses for my daughter to get home from school.
My prescription costs
Entertainment
Holidays
Savings.
Gifts.
hair and makeup for me,very small budget for that. Infact from entertainment down there is very little left, they are the luxuries, some we cannot afford,the others are necessities.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

My husband pays all the bills, and writes all of the checks.

I must admit, I am a compulsive shopper, and I overspend GROSSLY! Rickie gets so mad at me.. I buy things that we DONT need, will NEVER use... My closet probably is 60% unworn and new with tags clothes.

The kitties and dogs have over 200 outfits, most never even tried on... And if tried on, only worn for pictures. Exception is Joeys tshirts, he gets cold easily.

I want to budget, really. I just spend, and then feel guilty on the drive home.

I am going to try to not do this anymore. I am so embarrased to even admit this on a public forum... *goes to the corner to hide face*


Catlady, MY GOSH! Dont you get a headache will all of that thinkingabout and moving funds? I could not do that. Good for you!

[Kirsten]

I just have a very small budget, so it doesn't happen very often that I'm spending money on things I do not need. I created an excel file in which I'm listing each Cent I make, or spent, and it shows me exactly how much is left for the rest of the month. So far, I always managed to stay under the limit, but sometimes it's difficult when there are bills for insurances, or when I have to get my car fixed.

The excel file I'm working with is listing my expenses in different categories, like food, personal hygiene, cats, meds, clothes, leisure etc...

Kirsten

[Cookiebaker]

Wow, Catlady, thanks for sharing. I am a budget-holic too and found your accounting system so interesting.

I use Quicken to manage our accounts...sometimes I find it a bit tedious to enter every receipt but it is so worth it to be able to look at a chart and see where we are at. I enter all of our receipts on a weekly basis, and at that time reconcile all of our accounts to online statements. That way if there is any funky business going on, I will know about it within a week. And also, it keeps me aware of where we spend our money, and whether or not we can afford things. I never buy things that I don't already have the money set aside for, and I hate seeing negative numbers so that keeps spending in check.

[Catlady711]

Wow, Catlady, thanks for sharing. I am a budget-holic too and found your accounting system so interesting.

I use Quicken to manage our accounts

I don't have Quicken, I use the Microsoft Money program that came with my cpu. After all these years I'd be reluctant to try and fool a new program into doing what I want it to do.

I list the checks in an imaginary acct called 'temporary'. From there I do 'transfers' to each catagory going by my cheat sheet. That way I can pull up one page and see where every penny went for that pay period, and it automatically updates the amounts in the separate catagories.

Catlady, MY GOSH! Dont you get a headache will all of that thinkingabout and moving funds? I could not do that. Good for you!

I used to get a headache when I first got it set up until I figured out how to fool the cpu into doing what I wanted it to do. The only time it's really a pain now is if I have a check mid payweek or cash I have to deposit. I hate making extra trips to the bank and it messes up my brain trying to figure out how to do it all together in one transaction. In actuality I hate math and am very bad at it. That's probably why I have to have everything accounted for separately and have to accout for every penny.

The biggest headache I get is trying to balance the actual checking/savings books. I do have a 'reports' section in the cpu that will add up the individual funds in a particular book which helps alot. When I click the report it should match what the book has, if not then something didn't get added to one or the other, which does sometimes happen. Once in a while if I'm in a hurry I'll add the deposit on one but forget to add it on the other. oops!