How do you determine how much disposable you have each month?

It's all disposable. It seems that no matter how much comes in, I manage to dispose of it pretty readily....

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It's whatever is left over after paying all our bills, funding retirement plans, and other savings goals for the future.

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I think I've heard Dave Ramsey say that any money after the "4 walls" (food, shelter, utilities) is disposable. The only problem is that for so many people, this ends up going to debt!

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Down with debt!

My house has 3 bedrooms; DS has one, DH & I have one, and Murphy keeps trying to move into the other! So there's no room for my poor dog, who is competing with Sallie Mae for the doghouse!

Same here!

We pay the bills, put some in savings and buy groceries. Whatever is left we say is disposable.

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"When people can walk away from you, let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anyone that left." Jakes

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Vicki
Mama to Princess, 5 and Wild Thing, 3
Progress Since 1/6/09:

I agree with Kim, it's whatever is left after all bills are paid including savings.

If you are in debt though you have no disposable money IMO.

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A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.-Eleanor Roosevelt

What about giving? What is disposable to many to us, is life changing for billions of the worlds poor.I'm not preaching, it's just that I have just returned from a very poor part of the world, and the pairing of the words "disposable" and "money" are not making sense to me right now. We heard of a 3 year old who had just died from an ear infection, because his parents could not afford the 2.00 antibiotic to save his life, or the head of the household who is only 11 years old, trying to raise 2 brothers....Sorry for going on, but what is disposable to many of us, really is life or death for many.

Treehugger, I know what you mean because I have been a missionary before and it totally changes your perspective.

Unfortunately for us after bills and the kids college fund contributions the rest of our income tends to be disposed of. I would love to cut that drastically. Hubby is a spender though, I've gotten him to think of bills and money owed which is great, but he doesn't see much need to save...until something goes wrong of course! haha Our disposable income issues come from not communicating effectively about finances and our budget