Ask:
Okay I'm trying to make up a budget here. I went ahead and pulled out all the recepts so far for this month. My allowance for groceries is $400, and so far we have only spent $222.52. So thats GREAT. BUT, I added up our eating out receipts and that totals $158.57. That includes 2 buffets, mcds, Dominos, and chinese takeout. I guess thats not bad, but when I actually SEE it, I cringe.
I'm thinking, maybe I should incorperate our take out money into our grocery budget? Would you do that?? If I extent my grocery budget to say $450? Other than cutting out dining out altogether, because we do enjoy it once and a while. But I guess we just enjoyed it WAY too much this month.
My other things were right on target. I've only spent $70 on gas so far, and my MISC spending has only totaled $75. BUT I shopped too much this month for the kids (gymboree, Old Navy, ect) and so far that has totaled .$120. I need to cut that WAYYYYYY down, like to $0! But its hard when they always seem to need something and the stuff is SO cheap.
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Honestly, I would KEEP the food budget at $400....and cut back on the eating out! You said yourself, it made you cringe...try it for 1 month and see how it goes!
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For me, food money is food money - groceries and eating out (unless I spend it on lunch with the girls out of my "me money" fund). Once our food money is spent- no more dinners out! I'd set the budget at a fair level- say eating out 1x per week. If you can keep it at $400, great. If not, then try $450 and see how it goes.
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We have a separate fund for groceries and one for eating out. Our eating out budget is $25 for a month. Cook meals ahead and freeze them so on nights when you are exhausted you still don't have to eat out. That has helped us out a lot.
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If your eating out budget makes you cringe and you want to cut it down - I would keep it separate. That way you have to 'own up' to the expense of eating out. Otherwise it will just get lumped in with all the other groceries and if your overall food bill is over you won't know if you ate out too much or if you just bought too much at the grocery store. I would keep it separate so you can really SEE it and then try to cut it down. Be realistic too to allow yourself a splurge every now and then to eat out.
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What I do it set a budget for groceries and take it out in cash. I spend $300 every 2 weeks on groceries (4 people and food here is expensive!). When I am finished my shopping, whatever money I have left over (if any) is used for take out. Last week I used enough coupons and hit enough sales that I had $65 left over! We had take out twice and the rest I will use for milk, bread etc until I get paid again. It really puts it in prespective when its in your hand as cash and not on a card. I have really curbed my spending this way. I am also doing it that way for Christmas. I write a budget on paper and take out the cash. We did this last year, and not only did we not have to spend a dime on Christmas out of the last cheque before Christmas, we had NO bills to pay off in January that we would have accumulated in Christmas spending. We have 2 small kids and we both work, but we are by no means well off. We are trying to save for a house and can't seem to do that yet, but I have noticed a bit more cash floating around. Its amazing how much crap you can buy that you don't even notice! I was putting things on my debit card every day that was only $2.00 here or $4.00 there. I added it up once and it was $87 in usless spending in ONE WEEK! I cannot afford that. I could have had winter coats for the kids with that much money! Instead I could not even recall what I had bought! Sorry to ramble...I think I needed to say this "out loud"
Alana
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We do an envelope system and use cash. I have $200 the first pay period and $300 the second for groceries. We do $30 separately for eating out for each pay period. We also have about $15 in a "blow" envelope. So we can use all that $45 for a big fancy dinner or a 2 very small ones. Generally though, the "blow" is for alcohol. lol
Eating out is sooo $$$!
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Yah dh asked me to get him a Pizza tonight, and I was like NO way. Too much $$, essp since I just spent another $100 on grocies. I still have a little less than $100 to spend from the grocery budget, I think I'm doing well!
(But I did go into Borders and buy the girls some books to reward them for good report cards)
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I think you ladies are doing great. At this time we don't have any extra. So I make pizza , I think some time I wish things would pick up. but I like seeing how far our money goes.
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Okay I'm done for Novemember, except next week when I run out for milk, toilet paper and produce.
For DEcember, I'm cutting my grocery budget to $350 I have SO much here right now, I'm gonna try and use up as much as I can so that we have the extra money for Christmas. I can start up a big shopping again in January.
I still have my take out/Dining out budget, but I made it only $75. HOpefully, we can stick to that.