We use a budget. I add up all of the monthly bills (sans expenses - food, gas, etc.) divide it by two and save all month at least half of next month's expenses. I don't know if it makes sense, but all I can say is that we've been two months ahead of bills everytime. I transfer these extra funds to a savings acct (no overdraft charges - 6 ea month) so we won't end up spending them.

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You must be the change you want to see in the world ~ Gandhi

We use an Excel spreadsheet to depict our budget and to keep track of our spending. Every evening after dinner I open it up and add in anything I purchased that day and I see what bills are needing paid. I also budget about 6 months in advance. I use to do this so I could see when I would be able to payoff another credit card, but now I use it to see how much I am going to be able to put in a savings account. It was the easiest thing I could think of that I could commit to and it has worked for about 18 months.

We are on a very tight budget. I should say I am, not dh. I don't spend anything on myself (I'm serious) and he has his hobbies (hunting, going out to football games, etc.) and he expects the money to be there. So, its seems we're not on a budget, I am. lol
I have on a spreadsheet, but it helps me if I write it down on paper one paycheck at a time.

I track everything, I feel Like I have to have been for years. Even if you think you know where your money goes writing everything down and categorizing can be an eye opener.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006 &

Organizer of the Coupon Clippers of Tacoma

I hang onto every reciept, just in case. I don't budget, but I pay my bills first and then the extras. I have started using my debt card (a Visa, so credit in use) and then print out the online bank statement. Each month I take a pretty outliner to the amounts spent on extras, food, eating out, entertainment, and necessities. It makes for a pretty paper and it can show me quickly where the money has gone to. I can adjust as needed.

I have a credit line on my checking, but I have used our tax return as the cushion in the last few months. I really should put that into a better interest bearing account, but it makes me feel good to see a healthy amount in the account. I feel "rich". Maybe I will bank the next tax return. The good news is it hasn't gone down.

I haven't been spending as much because we don't really need anything. Occasionally I have a new passion and I purchase accordingly. I mostly get sucked into crafts, but those end up as gifts so in someways it is investment spending.


Barb C.

[quote=Oregano]The way it works for us is that Dh gives me money each week to run the household and we indeed have a list of things that fall under what we call 'budget'. I'm free to do what I want with the money and use it to buy groceries, clothing, gifts, extra curricular activities for the kids, stuff for the house etc Luckily it doesn't include any monthly bills, mortgage etc Dh takes care of all that each month from his account. He also handles all our investments, savings etc

I do keep track of every penny I spend, how I spend it in a chart in word. /QUOTE]

We do it the exact same way BUT I don't track it all all! I check my balance occasionally online. I tried tracking it for awhile but it just didn't happen.

We don't right now, but we will here shortly. We have had a strict budget in the past and we are going back to that again. It will take us an afternoon to map it all out. My husband will make up Excel worksheets for me and then we will use the envelope system.

Hi there,

I used to be one of those who didn't have a budget, I figured, who needs it if your NOT overspending, right? Well, it didn't make my husband happy that I didn't know off the top of my head where every little dollar went, and there WAS a bit of mismanagement here and there, nothing bad, just nothing good either...

SO, that being said, one day I was listening to the radio and heard a guy talking, his name was Larry Burkett, and you can check out his Budgeting books at the local library. Inside, there are handy charts and organization lists that can get the "non-organizer" semi-organized in minutes...

NOW, I use his main organizational paper to organize my budget for the year, and using his equations, I know exactly how much money I can spend each week, so I just keep track of that. Everything else must be saved for expenses that need to be paid, and I already have that taken care of...Great System!!!

So, things don't sneak up on me anymore, like insurance payments, or what have you. After I "got semi-organized", I realized I had a problem with my credit card bills sneaking up on my (you know, you expect it to be 500, and it's 1000), so I started subtracting EVERY CREDIT CARD PURCHASE from my weekend "allowance"...boy was that an eye-opener...you realize IMMEDIATELY if you are getting behind the eight ball...

Hope this helps some of you...I know I could still be more organized!

Deborah