how do you budget? - Page 2

[SandyBeachBums]

Not everyone can do that with their washer. It can really mess with the water table or be considered contamination.

[cristeen]

We seem to do things very differently than everyone else here...

Handling the budget/bills/money is my job. But, and I admit this freely, I HATE IT! I HATE balancing the checkbook, I HATE tracking costs, I HATE it all. So I don't.

We have allotted X amount for everything. Cable, phone, electric, water, garbage, mortgage, insurance, car payment, groceries, gas, bridge toll, and a monthly allowance for each of us. Every one of the variable bills (electric, phone, groceries) has a maximum budgetary allowance of X. If we go over X (like the electric bill for December), the difference comes out of our "cushion", and we make some changes to our habits next month (turned down the thermostat). If we are under X, wonderful. All the money for everything comes out of a single account, by check or debit card. And whatever is left in the account at the end of the month is our "cushion" for next month. If I start noticing our cushion is decreasing on the monthly bank statements (like it did in November- December), I start analyzing our spending (lots of guests, fertility treatments not covered by insurance, DH took a week off work, we ate out more, I spent Dec with morning sickness so would only eat X, etc.), and if changes have to be made, we make them. I also re-evaluate about once a year, in case prices have changed, like with gas or the bridge tolls (which just went up $1/day), so I have to adjust the budget to account for that, and see where we stand. But, if we eat out (except for special occasions, which have a different budget), it comes out of the grocery budget the next week.

But I will point out a few reasons this works for us. DH makes more than we spend in an average month (not by much, but enough). If things were tighter, I'd have to keep closer track. Our "cushion" is generally about 2+ months pay (it didn't start that way, but that's where it's at now). If it weren't there, I'd have to keep closer track. I can be very disciplined about the variable expenditures (like groceries)... I know I have X to spend every week, I go shopping once a week and don't spend more than X, and if I run out of something before the week is out, tough. Lately, I've been doing the shopping every 10 days or so (instead of 7), and trying to see if I can keep to 2/3 of the budget (as a personal challenge), and so far have been successful, that's extra money in the "cushion". If I can maintain the grocery budget at 2/3 for a while longer, I'll reduce it's budgetary allotment, and free that money up for something else (probably home improvements). We also have rules about "unusual" expenses, like car repairs or vet bills. If it's over X amount, it goes on the cc, to be paid off over 2-3 months (depending on the amount). If it's under, we pay by check/debit and it comes out of the cushion. Property taxes are another big chunk out of the cushion, but honestly, that's why it's there (another reason we had a problem in Nov-Dec).

I honestly couldn't handle having cash in the house (to use the envelope method). I am horrible with cash. I know it. If I have cash, it's available to spend, regardless of whether the bills have been paid, the budget, whatever. So I never have it/carry it. DH carries his allowance in cash (if I need it for something), and I have a change jar for parking meter/bus money (I can buy train tickets with debit).

[sarabug]

Our bill are very consistant so we put $350 a week in the bill account. I only buy groceries once a month about $300. Gas is $15 a week for DH about $30 week for me. We save about $1000 month which leaves about $1300 for anything else but we never usually use it all.

[Just Me]

Originally Posted by SandyBeachBums

Not everyone can do that with their washer. It can really mess with the water table or be considered contamination.

It all depends.No it doesn't. Most people actually use too much detergent. Use half of the rec amount. they want you to see more..seriously. Save you money and help the environment. And I don't the Mother Earth News would advocate something that would contaminate. Also, my Mom's local Dept of Agriculture guy told her about watching her phosphates, most detegents are biodegradable by law, which get into the water table anyway...the water down the drains goes into pipes....which go into cleaning pools...but not all of the detergent contaminants can be removed...they get removed "to safe levels". You then eat it, drink it, bath in it...and water your lawn with it. Grey water use is not illegal. But if unsure, check with your local authorities. Oh yes, the Dept of Agri guy also helped them with the info on how to set up said grey water system. And did I mention I happen to be a certified Environmental Educator?

Here in England and most of Europe grey water recovery is actually a priorty BECAUSE of the water table. We are looking at getting two covered water butts. one to collect rainwater to hook up to our washer. The 210 Litre model will allow me 4 1/2 loads of laundry with my A rated for energy efficiency and water conservation and cleanliness washing machine, and we are looking at methods that allow it to fill from the mains if not enough water in the butt. The second butt would collect rainwater and bath water to water the lawn and flower beds. Some people who have downstaris toilets also have a rainwater butt hooked up to that toilet so that it is flushed with rainwater. We have one so may hook that butt up to the washer butt as well.

[CityChic]

Originally Posted by Einen

The calculator at this link is interesting. It's worth a look at even though it told me to spend more on clothes per month (over 10 times what I have budgeted now ) than what to put in savings!

Yeah, we adjust the categories a little. For instance, we don't have a car so we don't have auto expenses...it at least gives us a window to work in!

[**guest**]

Originally Posted by amyb15

Honestly I try to cook cheaper meals and reduce going out to dinners. I also shop online and wait for a deal to pop up to save some money. There were 16 articles of baby clothing for $16!

just have a second to respond, just wanted to say i cook very cheaply, everything from scratch, and we hardly ever go out, but we are in the middle of knowhere in the dead of winter, and sometimes we just must go out (feeling i had to justify myself )