Begin Again

[davidsdesire]

we haven't budgeted or even tracked what we spend for a long time.  We just float along and spend what we spend. 

Starting Feb 1, I'm going to start tracking again AND...giving myself budget goals for things like groceries, travel, etc. 

Once I've cracked one eye open tomorrow, I'll set up my budget journal for February. 

[workingmom]

Welcome back!

I'm taking a serious look at mine right now.  More expenses than I planned with a 3 year old and a worthless baby-daddy.

[smooth_tex]

Well, I keep track of expenses but I have no budget.  Need to work on that.

[Kimberly Gordon]

It's great to get back to the basics! I need to do that too. With everything going on, some things fell by the wayside. I'm setting up a price book again this weekend. One for here in AZ, then another when I get to MD in May. The old one is in Illinois, somewhere LOL.

[Kountrysidegirl]

Well, I'm back again!    Slipping back into super frugal mode.

[markie]

I'm trying to keep track of our spending but dh has been like a drunken sailor on leave.  I want to get the credit card totals together for December and see how much we spent and let him know.  December was exceptional since the kids were all home but he can't spend this much every month.  Unless I get used to the idea that we've worked hard all these years for retirement so we can loosen the belt a little.

[workingmom]

Nice to see more people again!

markie -- it is a huge adjustment.  And what is odd is that you finally have time to spend money, but you don't have as much money, nor do you have control of your income.  I think you can loosen the belt some, but taxes and how worthless Medicare can be, can really trip it up.  And again, Medicare works fine for some, and some don't get hit with the same taxes.

[markie]

In March of 2026 I will be on Medicare.  Can't wait for that fun to begin.  I have too many health issues that will need to be addressed.

[smooth_tex]

I have a lot of health issues that hopefully will be addressed before I have to deal with Medicare.  Of course, I have 8 more years before I qualify.

[mev2]

I started using the Ramsey software "Every Dollar."

There is a free version and I bought the paid version, but didn't understand how to use it when I first got it last year. And at that time there were no instructions with it.  Now there are a few video tutorials.  I still think it could be explained better.  I listen to his show when I am driving and also picked up some info how to use it. After I first bought it I signed up for a live zoom type thing about it and it still didn't help me understand.  Maybe I am just dense 

But now I understand the idea of the "zero based budget," and playing with the software.

I think kind of like markie's comment and trying to figure it out! 

There's no perfection I am using it to help determine how much we are spending and on what so we can make a better budget.  DH is talking retiring next year whether we are ready or not.  I think the job is getting to hard for him to handle physically.  Though he still wants to work part time at the grocery store which is good since he has no hobbies and I fear he will be a big couch potato.

Anyway. I figure right now I am playing with the categories and figuring out how much we are spending and what we can do better, cut out the waste. For example I didn't even think about the fact I go out to dinner once in a while with two ladies--not all 3 of us together.  Right now that cost me almost $20 for a not fancy meal at Bob's Big Boy including tip--just for me!  I could trim that if I need to as I bought coleslaw which wasn't part of the meal and I bought a beverage.  So it's something to think about.

All that said I do like the set up of Every Dollar. You can put it on the laptop and there's an app so you can use it on your phone.  I like the laptop version better. I tried using the app and it's not bad, but I like seeing more options open at once on the laptop than extra clicking on the cell phone.

I only started to really do it in January and have to finish January's expenses today.  Next month I want everything in place by the end of the month.  The goal is to plan out BEFORE the month starts and then track your expenses.  But as I said I am using this time as a learning process probably for a few months and then after that I will probably still tweak it, but it should be much better.

More recently on the Ramsey show they have said something to the effect that you can alter it, it won't be perfect, etc.  That makes me think I wasn't the only one struggling with how to use the app!

[workingmom]

It isn't just altering it because of the app, it is that life happens, no matter how much you plan, you don't always have control of things -- and when that happens, the budget has to change to.  I think they are trying to be responsive to real life.

[davidsdesire]

that ended by the end of the first week.  David pulled a cap off eating bit o'honey (my fault==I gave it to him)...that $1600 new cap  was sitting next to a completely bad tooth that they pulled and just plunked a post for an implant in.  Just basically TOLD him (he says).  That's another $4000.

THEN--tickets to the Olympics came up for sale.  Tickets to the events are pretty dang expensive and so is hotel.  So we spent a ton there, too.  Wasn't planning for that to be this month, either.  I really hate the way you have to pay so far in advance to do anything these days.  We still need to purchase airfare to Italy.  We also plan to go to Carnevale in Venice while we're there. 
Chautauqua property taxes were due in Jan--$4000. 
Oh, and the hermit needs $1700 for his surgical procedure tomorrow.  We had to pay that as well. 

I'm starting to think that people believe we are made of money. 

I'm gonna haff to sell a kidney.

[mev2]

Well, I'm back again!    Slipping back into super frugal mode.

Hi Kountrysidegirl!  I missed your post when I scrolled by before  It's great to see you!

[smooth_tex]

I have a feeling when dh finally goes to the dentist, it's gonna be expensive.  He absolutely doesn't take care of his teeth.  He says at least one is cracked. 

[workingmom]

I have dental insurance, which helps.  But I maxed it out last year, and it was just visits, x-rays and fillings.

And yes -- there is always something.  Property taxes are killing me.