As soon as you get a little extra money, all of a sudden...it's gone?
A few days ago, I deposited a $500 check into our checking account.
Yesterday I checked our balance and it was fairly comfortable (we are pretty much a check-to-check living family, with a little in savings here and a little in savings there).
Today, I check the balance (in hopes of hitting up the yearly sidewalk sale in The Village) and its a mere third of what was there yesterday. EEK! Since I have been out of school, finances have been tight...which doesn't quite make total sense, since we should be using less gas. (Now with summer school, I am using lots of gas.)
My hypothesis is whenever we get a little "cush" in our checking, both B and I figure its there, so a little purchase here or there won't matter. However, since we are both making those purchases, it adds up and depletes fast.
I think its time to work out another budget.
Can anyone else feel our financial pain?
*EDIT*
So, I worked out a budget. No wonder we have been tight. We have been spending a little more than budgeted on groceries (buying healthier is more expensive), our gas bill has increased by $150. B has been going to phyiscal therapy, at the tune of $120/month, add net flix ($18) and our home warranty ($24), plus my student loan that we just started to have to pay ($93...I expect a huge increase in this bill in the fall)...and we are lucky we are still ahead at the end of the month.
Luckily, with summer school and my raise in the fall, we should be ok, but, man, I should have reworked this budget a few months ago! No more spending for us!
9 comments:
We put ourselves on a really strict budget. We each get an allowance to curb both of our spending. For our family, we have a monthly entertainment allowance, a travel allowance, and money set aside for baby making. We realized long ago that the only way to meet our many goals was to live a strict life, and since we both agree, it works out pretty well. Good luck with getting your straightened out.
We do the exact same thing. *eyes wii purchased last night. um.*
It always feels to me as if there is something expensive and needy that rears it's ugly head every time I feel like we're getting ahead. Luckily during the most expensive phases of TTC, the babymaking WAS the expensive needy thing, but now we need to save again, the others are back - car insurance and road tax, a broken washing machine, a new shed - that kind of thing. Money worries suck.
Yeah, we have the same trouble. It all adds up. Right now we're trying to make it all work on one salary and that is tight, especially since Kathryn commutes 2hrs each way for school. My fingers are crossed that her fall practicum is nearby rather than the hour (each way) she had to do last year. Good luck with the budget! We spend way too much on groceries but we're hoping to lower that soon.
same thing happens to me!
Laurie loves her budget! She has spreadsheet upon spreadsheet of what money is where and what its doing, who it's paying... not that we acutally use it, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE! haha.... follow that budget!!
Oh my gosh....we do this ALL. THE. TIME. You are NOT the only ones ;) Good luck on the budget!! It takes discipline (that I somewhat lack!)
I think so many people feel the same way. Just the price of gas and groceries alone are hitting the bank accounts hard.
I drive 60+ miles per day easily.
I pretty much handed over the budgeting to my wife and she keeps me on a short leash - which is necessary. I would definitely have a wii right now if it was totally up to me.
It's funny that I thought once I started working we wouldn't be living paycheck to paycheck anymore, but here we are.
We have a house and I have a job as a lawyer, but we have major student loans, mortgage, car payments, property taxes, day care, etc.
We're also working on saving again since we haven't saved a dime in over a year.
Of course we have the same problem - doesn't everyone?
We could live like queens if we lived off the Mc D's dollar menu! Alas, we are a fresh fruit and veggie eatin' family and it costs us dearly!
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