•9:38 PM
I've never done this before in the same way. Sure, I've written up budgets, and I've done some broad brush tracking of our spending.
But this time, I am actually logging every dollar that we spend. When Self-Reliant man comes home from work, I ask him how much was spent and on what. Yes, he cheerfully answers my question each day. So far.
I just need to know, what if the unthinkable happens? What if Self-Reliant Man were to lose his job? How would we do? Would we get by? What would we have to sacrifice?
Right now, we should be able to live on what my husband earns, plus save a few hundred dollars a month. But do we ever do it? It seems that we have what should be occasional large expenditures, but they aren't occasional, you know what I mean? For instance, since Christmas, we have had to purchased:
a set of four tires
a replacement alternator
a root canal
two dental crowns
replacement parts for our tractor engine.
Plus we are looking this month at getting a bedroom set for Baby Girl (which we had planned to do for her sixth birthday all along).
Additional things we could purchase in the near future are: replacement parts for broken garage door opener, replacement ice maker for refrigerator, replacement pool hoses.
Reason #1 for owning less stuff: less stuff that needs to be fixed! (Do teeth count?)
So you see, a good budget should allocate funds for occasional big spending. Plus it should cover all the normal expenses. The trick is, keeping the occasional spending just that.......occasional.
Anybody have any suggestions on how to do it?
But this time, I am actually logging every dollar that we spend. When Self-Reliant man comes home from work, I ask him how much was spent and on what. Yes, he cheerfully answers my question each day. So far.
I just need to know, what if the unthinkable happens? What if Self-Reliant Man were to lose his job? How would we do? Would we get by? What would we have to sacrifice?
Right now, we should be able to live on what my husband earns, plus save a few hundred dollars a month. But do we ever do it? It seems that we have what should be occasional large expenditures, but they aren't occasional, you know what I mean? For instance, since Christmas, we have had to purchased:
a set of four tires
a replacement alternator
a root canal
two dental crowns
replacement parts for our tractor engine.
Plus we are looking this month at getting a bedroom set for Baby Girl (which we had planned to do for her sixth birthday all along).
Additional things we could purchase in the near future are: replacement parts for broken garage door opener, replacement ice maker for refrigerator, replacement pool hoses.
Reason #1 for owning less stuff: less stuff that needs to be fixed! (Do teeth count?)
So you see, a good budget should allocate funds for occasional big spending. Plus it should cover all the normal expenses. The trick is, keeping the occasional spending just that.......occasional.
Anybody have any suggestions on how to do it?
2 comments:
Well, if you don't fix the teeth, soon you'll all look like drooling idiots, so I vote that's not a "luxury"! We don't spend much other than planned expenses, but I don't like to go out much anyway. It doesn't look to me like you've had unreasonable expenses this year. Plant a garden with the kids this year. You'll save food money, and y'all will be so busy chasing weeds you'll forget to go out and bellow "Charge!" at the nearest store clerk ;-)
Those big extras seem to come too often, don't they? I have done the tracking every penny before for several years. I"m not right now, although, I do have a budget for some areas...eating out, entertainment, etc. I have used envelopes for several categories, and that works well.
Have fun on your trip!