Enter Chelsea the mega-budgeter!!!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Excuse me while I guffaw and snort for a while.
Just kidding. I HATE budgeting. The whole idea that I'm supposed to, for example, set $20 aside every month for car repairs so that when they happen once a year or so, I have $240 all sitting ready for me to spend on car repairs. Um, I'm not that organized. I never will be. Same goes for putting it into envelopes. Ew!
So we found a system that does work for us. We have a set amount that we'll spend on food for the month. Then for all my purchases, both food and otherwise, I keep the receipts and jot the amount on the list on the fridge.
And that has made all the difference.
Basically, instead of planning ahead, it helps me to see everything that I've been spending. I think just seeing everything-- instead of the amount having been spent and disappeared into thin air-- keeps me from buying too many things.
It's worked pretty well so far. Now I have money to contribute to the Chelsea's Disneyland Fund, the Cruise of the Orient Fund, and the House Down-payment Fund. Well, theoretically. Right now it's just in the bank.
3 comments:
With Clint sometimes having 5 or 6 different pay days a month between his 3 PT jobs, I became very bad at budgeting since I always has money to come in and replenish my checking account. I was really good in Provo, but I found that we were doing the same thing you were - there wasn't much going into the savings account. What I do is allow myself a certain amount of money every 2 weeks that will cover groceries, gas, fun stuff, etc. and then put the rest into savings to be used later. In Provo, I had it specifically saved for tuition, vacation, insurance, emergencies, etc. but now it's just in one big pot.
We just looked at what monthly costs we always had (rent, internet, etc.) and then set a goal for how much to spend per week on top of those costs. We keep and add up the receipts also. We're still not great at following our budget, but it makes me think twice before spending, which is the whole point.
I agree with u and the other commenters. When I see where my money is going.. all of a sudden I want to stop spending it! Of course, I've discovered that I don't really save much more than I did before, I just stress more about it. Sigh...
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