Home Budgeting

[helechopper]

My wife and I have come to the point where we’ve accomplished all of our larger financial goals (mainly having a kid and buying a house) and now it’s time to focus on saving more $. I want to get into the minutia of where our money really goes so…


What app/program/website/ back-of-an-envelope do you fellow Fanatics use to budget your home finances?

 

[KCClone1]

IMO you can’t beat a spreadsheet. Track every penny and put them in categories. Food, groceries, entertainment, etc.

 

[Trice]

IMO you can’t beat a spreadsheet. Track every penny and put them in categories. Food, groceries, entertainment, etc.

Agreed. Started a thread about this topic some time ago.
https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/th...heir-personal-finances-by-spreadsheet.248115/

If you prefer Google Docs, there's a company that has a bunch of spreadsheet templates that connect to your accounts, so you get the benefit of automation with the "hands on" abilities of a spreadsheet. I haven't used it myself but they're very well regarded. Cost is $60/year.
https://www.tillerhq.com/

 

[BCClone]

Best to do it old school. If you write it or type it each time you will learn to hate spending extra money and it allows you to zero in on your needs and wants.

 

[madguy30]

Not in the same situation but for the spending part, I've found that taking out X amount of cash every week and that's all I get. Definitely helps at least hone in on needs.

Take a limited amount of cash into the grocery store and extra unnecessary stuff doesn't make it into the basket/cart.

 

[BCClone]

Not in the same situation but for the spending part, I've found that taking out X amount of cash every week and that's all I get. Definitely helps at least hone in on needs.

Take a limited amount of cash into the grocery store and extra unnecessary stuff doesn't make it into the basket/cart.

When I was single I would take out X amount and that was all I would allow myself. If I blew it Friday, I sat at home on Saturday and watched TV.

 

[ClonesFTW]

IMO you can’t beat a spreadsheet. Track every penny and put them in categories. Food, groceries, entertainment, etc.

This. Do a google doc and download the app on your phone so you can immediately plug in what you just spent. This was a huge eye-opener for how much I was spending on food when I originally did this years ago.

 

[baller21]

When I was single I would take out X amount and that was all I would allow myself. If I blew it Friday, I sat at home on Saturday and watched TV.

So the trick was to find someone to “watch tv with” on Saturday.

 

[CycloneDaddy]

So the trick was to find someone to “watch tv with” on Saturday.

She aint messin with no broke ....

 

[Cyched]

She aint messin with no broke ....

A trifling friend indeed

 

[allday4cy]

Every Dollar app

 

[cyfan21]

Mint by intuit QuickBooks is what I started using. It’s free and you can link you banking and credit cards to it as well and not have to enter in every expense and line item.

 

[madguy30]

When I was single I would take out X amount and that was all I would allow myself. If I blew it Friday, I sat at home on Saturday and watched TV.

I think people should do this or similar no matter their status.

I know plenty of married people that spend lots of money on things that are completely unneeded.

 

[BCClone]

I think people should do this or similar no matter their status.

I know plenty of married people that spend lots of money on things that are completely unneeded.

My thoughts are, if you can afford it, then do what you want. If you pay your bills and doing things legally, go head and blow $1000 on a boatload of lap dances if that is what you want.

 

[Gunnerclone]

My thoughts are, if you can afford it, then do what you want. If you pay your bills and doing things legally, go head and blow $1000 on a boatload of lap dances if that is what you want.

This is where I’m at right now and when my kid is out of daycare in 18 months my lap dance budget is going WAY up. I even recently downgraded my whip because I wanted a truck so I’m rolling in extra cash right now but that no daycare infusion is going to feel like winning the lottery.

 

[madguy30]

My thoughts are, if you can afford it, then do what you want. If you pay your bills and doing things legally, go head and blow $1000 on a boatload of lap dances if that is what you want.

Yeah, I get that and people can do what they want.

I guess I'm leaning toward those that say they don't have any money in their savings so they can't afford to do some things, but go out often, eat out multiple times a week etc.

 

[Cyched]

Yeah, I get that and people can do what they want.

I guess I'm leaning toward those that say they don't have any money in their savings so they can't afford to do some things, but go out often, eat out multiple times a week etc.

 

[madguy30]

Food, dude.

But hey, this is America.

 

[BCClone]

Yeah, I get that and people can do what they want.

I guess I'm leaning toward those that say they don't have any money in their savings so they can't afford to do some things, but go out often, eat out multiple times a week etc.

Agree. Many people complain they can’t save anything but actually they can it’s just they chose not to by buying lunch every day or not watching their money. My wife used to get her hair cut (or whatever she had done) every two weeks. I explained that hair grows 1/2 to 1 inch a month. So by going every three weeks there would be about an 1/8 of an inch difference but cut out about 9 sessions. At 30 bucks a session, that is $270 over a year. Do this type of stuff a few times and you have a grand in your pocket and a basic vacation paid for every third year.

Btw, I get 3 maybe 4 haircuts a year. So I’m way different.

 

[CyArob]

I'm trying a new thing in 2020 where I do no budgeting. Just keep an eye on the first digit in my bank account but no other worrying about the almighty dollar. Expected results are more happiness and more blow.