Budgeting help please.

[ninny]

Mine is set up like this:

Charity
Misc
Tithing
Clothing
Adults
Kids
Debt
CC#1
CC#2
Student loans
Food
Groceries
Restaurant
Fun Money
His
Hers
Housing
Farm
Mortgage
Home Improvement
Medical
Dentist
Doctor
Drugs
Insurance
Hospital
Personal
Gifts
Misc.
School supplies
Subscriptions
Recreation
Entertainment
Lessons
Satellite
Vacation
Savings
Buffer Fund
Emergency Fund
Retirement
Taxes
Income Tax
Property
Tax preparation
Transportation
Car Insurance
Car Payment
Car Replacement
Gas/Oil
Licence/Taxes
Repairs and Tires
Utilities
Electricity
Garbage
Gas
Internet
Phone

Overwhelming? Not really. I take the income for the month and find a place for every dollar until there is nothing left. What ever is left in a category at the end of the month rolls over to the next month. At this point I don't always have the money put something in every slot every month, but I try to put a couple dollars in each category when I can so that when the propane tank needs filled or when I have to pay the car tags the $5 or $10 I have put in every month has added up and I don't have to scramble for money.

Im going to use this if you dont mind. I saved all recipts this last month. So i should be ready to go. Thanks everyone.

 

[abifae]

I have the simplest life ever.

Rent
Utilities
Internet
Food
Kitty stuffs
Savings
Dance Class

I think that's it!!!

 

[tortoise]

I have you beat abi!

Car loan (extra payment every other month)
Student loan

Every other month, I have $25.85 extra, which I usually save until I have more and spend it freely on whatever the heck I want. I'm paid far enough ahead on my car loan that I skipped a couple payments to spoil my son for Christmas.

My car loan should be paid off early by the end of 2011, and my student loan should be paid off 3 years early in 2013. I can't wait! I started 2010 with THOUSANDS of $ of bad debt, I only have good debt now and I'm almost free! So excited just thinking about that!

 

[philpatton]

Ninny

I just put together an Excel spreadsheet that I plan on using to track my budget. I have a spreadsheet for each month and is broken down by weeks. This is what I call a Beta version, meaning that all of the glitches may not be worked out, but I wont know that until it.

I have a section for fixed expenses and another section for veritable expenses. I left additional space to add additional items. There are spaces for a total of 24 items. All you have to do is put in the number that you budget for each item and the amount that you spent and the spreadsheet will do the math. If you go over the budget the amount shows up in red.

There is another section that allow you to enter in your income for that week and the money that you spent is transferred from the spreadsheet, then it will show you if you spent more or less money at the end of the month.

If you have the 2007 version of Excel I would be glad to send you a copy to play with.

Phil

 

[Marianne]

I think I'm poor. Entertainment fund? Clothes fund? What the heck are those??

Good thing I'm happy in my garden and with other simple, yet creative activities... We don't have near the income to put a buck in some of those categories.

 

[Wifezilla]

Entertainment fund? Clothes fund? What the heck are those??

That's when you clean your car and find $5.62 in change and so you have enough to buy a new pair of jeans on sale at the Goodwill

I hear some people use couches to store their clothing and entertainment funds.

 

[VickiLynn]

Ninny

I just put together an Excel spreadsheet that I plan on using to track my budget. I have a spreadsheet for each month and is broken down by weeks. This is what I call a Beta version, meaning that all of the glitches may not be worked out, but I wont know that until it.

I have a section for fixed expenses and another section for veritable expenses. I left additional space to add additional items. There are spaces for a total of 24 items. All you have to do is put in the number that you budget for each item and the amount that you spent and the spreadsheet will do the math. If you go over the budget the amount shows up in red.

There is another section that allow you to enter in your income for that week and the money that you spent is transferred from the spreadsheet, then it will show you if you spent more or less money at the end of the month.

If you have the 2007 version of Excel I would be glad to send you a copy to play with.

Phil

If you don't have Excel, you can download Open Office. It's a free program. You can open most Excel and other MS Office documents in Open Office, and vice/versa.
http://www.openoffice.org/

 

[AnnaRaven]

Ninny

I just put together an Excel spreadsheet that I plan on using to track my budget. I have a spreadsheet for each month and is broken down by weeks. This is what I call a Beta version, meaning that all of the glitches may not be worked out, but I wont know that until it.

I have a section for fixed expenses and another section for veritable expenses. I left additional space to add additional items. There are spaces for a total of 24 items. All you have to do is put in the number that you budget for each item and the amount that you spent and the spreadsheet will do the math. If you go over the budget the amount shows up in red.

There is another section that allow you to enter in your income for that week and the money that you spent is transferred from the spreadsheet, then it will show you if you spent more or less money at the end of the month.

If you have the 2007 version of Excel I would be glad to send you a copy to play with.

Phil

If you don't have Excel, you can download Open Office. It's a free program. You can open most Excel and other MS Office documents in Open Office, and vice/versa.
http://www.openoffice.org/

And if you don't wanna do that, there's Google Docs which has a free spreadsheet "in the cloud" so you don't have to do backups. It's where my pantry and grocery book are. I also use Mint.com for my budgeting. That's how I found out I was overspending on groceries, and managed to cut in half last month.

 

[TanksHill]

Needs, Wants and Savings.

50% Needs
30% Wants
20% Savings.

 

[tortoise]

Needs, Wants and Savings.

50% Needs
30% Wants
20% Savings.

How do you decide need vs. want?