Budget - How do you do it?

[4>0rings]

Most of that doesn't really sound expensive.

Last night we had spaghetti. We spend 2.00 on a pound of ground beef, 2.00 on a jar of sauce, 1.00 on spaghetti, and 1.75 on HEB fresh bread.

That's less than 7.00 and easily feeds five with leftovers. That might be one of the cheapest things we eat but on average we don't spend a lot more than that, except on the weekends. That's usually the time that I have more time to cook and because of that make more extravagant meals.

No . It's only my gf and I and we spend maybe 300 a month and I have 3 different kinds of steaks in the freezer, fajitas, bags of chicken, pork chops, hamburger meat, sausages... 1 and a half fridges of food, the other half is full of beer/sodas.

I can understand if you have children it gets pricey. I like to cook and try different things so I'am always in the kitchen.

[SpursStalker]

So, in an effort to get some debt paid off this year, my wife and i have decided to take a long look at our budget and make some changes. this is what we have come up with. These ammounts are split between the both of us.

$200 - Gas every two weeks

$200 - Groceries every two weeks

$400 - Spending every two weeks

We also have 300 a month going into savings.

I just realised this past week that the grocery money needs to double. We spent 200 sunday for just 6 meals and a few odds and ends...

What do you guys budget, and does it work?

If you spent 200 bucks for 6 meals, you're definately doing something wrong.

How many people are in your family? 400 bucks for gas per month ... wtf do you drive, a tank?

[Soul_Patch]

If you spent 200 bucks for 6 meals, you're definately doing something wrong.

How many people are in your family? 400 bucks for gas per month ... wtf do you drive, a tank?

$50 every six days or so for my wife to fill up, that equates to roughly $250 a month. $50 every two weeks for myself, since i work from home and dont drive as much. That is $100 a month. The extra 50 could probably go elsewhere...good point.

I was probably mispoken regarding the meals. Thinknig about it lats night, we got a few things for lunch, and for the pets. So all in all, id put that number at more like $140 for 6 meals. Still seems high to me, but better.

[Bigzax]

costco




Nissin Top Ramen Chicken
48 ct
$8.21



48 meals...9 bux!!!

[MiamiHeat]

I think we may have a case of the OP eating a lot more than some of us.

;p

[Soul_Patch]

I think we may have a case of the OP eating a lot more than some of us.

;p

Unless you buy your hamburger meat in 1/4lbs or 1 chicken breast at a time, im not sure how that would matter. Its not like im buyin 5lbs of hamburger meat for a meal, or grilling 10lbs of breast meat...who does that?

[leemajors]

I don't buy breast meat anymore unless there is a sale at Sun Harvest. You can get a whole chicken for less than you can a package of breast meat. You can then use the carcass for chicken stock.

[Blake]

Also, it could be worse, you could be Blake.

I'm doing fine, thanks.

[TheManFromAcme]

Believe it or not, coupons do help. I can save anywhere from $10-15 bucks with the right coupons. I am frugal as heck and also believe in saving, saving and saving even more.

Most people have a very hard time saving yet fail to realize that it is quite simple and easy. Most will tell you they can't but looking at it mathematically shines light on it's simplicity. Many of those that can't save will tell you that they can't yet use their money for thier respective vices such as a pack of smokes, cokes, brew or whatever.

When you wake up on January 1 of any year, December 31st looks far away. If you put 10 bucks a week away that's $520 at the end of the year. $20 bucks every week equates to $1040. $50 bucks a week is $2600 and so on.

The discipline lies in not touching it.....at all. Yet most do and fail at it miserably.
Surely anyone can save a measly $10 a week. Trust me, you'll never miss it.

Some pointers.

[baseline bum]

Believe it or not, coupons do help. I can save anywhere from $10-15 bucks with the right coupons. I am frugal as heck and also believe in saving, saving and saving even more.

Most people have a very hard time saving yet fail to realize that it is quite simple and easy. Most will tell you they can't but looking at it mathematically shines light on it's simplicity. Many of those that can't save will tell you that they can't yet use their money for thier respective vices such as a pack of smokes, cokes, brew or whatever.

When you wake up on January 1 of any year, December 31st looks far away. If you put 10 bucks a week away that's $520 at the end of the year. $20 bucks every week equates to $1040. $50 bucks a week is $2600 and so on.

The discipline lies in not touching it.....at all. Yet most do and fail at it miserably.
Surely anyone can save a measly $10 a week. Trust me, you'll never miss it.

Some pointers.

Coupons always seem to be mostly for expensive pre-made meals though (like microwavable stuff, frozen pizzas, tv dinners, and things like that). The only time I consistently use coupons is for milk, because that's the only thing I usually see coupons for that I normally buy. You never see coupons for steak, ground beef, pork, bananas, onions, spinach, carrots, oranges, whole chickens, etc.

[bus driver]

nice pic.

Even with the 300 a month going to our emergency fund, I will still be completely out of debt by 2012. No car notes, No CC debt.


My goal is to get our savings account up to $10,000 also, which i think will happen around the same time.

well good luck

[TheManFromAcme]

Coupons always seem to be mostly for expensive pre-made meals though (like microwavable stuff, frozen pizzas, tv dinners, and things like that). The only time I consistently use coupons is for milk, because that's the only thing I usually see coupons for that I normally buy. You never see coupons for steak, ground beef, pork, bananas, onions, spinach, carrots, oranges, whole chickens, etc.

Good point. However, most of my coupons are for household items and personal affects. To give you an example, Old e had a special for buy one of the larger end sized armpit stuff and get the other one for free at Walgreens. CVS had a special to buy a set of Gillette blades and get a free shaving lotion. Those are the ones that have value. Your right about the food items though. Maybe one day HEB Central Market will have a sale on their Kobe Beef....Lol

[baseline bum]

Good point. However, most of my coupons are for household items and personal affects. To give you an example, Old e had a special for buy one of the larger end sized armpit stuff and get the other one for free at Walgreens. CVS had a special to buy a set of Gillette blades and get a free shaving lotion. Those are the ones that have value. Your right about the food items though. Maybe one day HEB Central Market will have a sale on their Kobe Beef....Lol

Oh, ok... I was thinking strictly food.