How much of the money pie does things take up?

**imagine** · 06-09-2011, 10:41 AM

I am curious on how your different categories line up.

Here is mine from greatest to least

Debt repayment
Groceries
Mortgage
Utilities (electric, gas, water trash) *
phones
cable
insurances (life and car)
gasoline
the rest of life

* in really harsh weather utilities can switch with mortgage

**monkeywrangler71** · 06-09-2011, 11:51 AM

Savings
Miscellaneous spending
Food
Mortgage
Gas
Utilities

ETA: I'm just going to clarify "miscellaneous" just in case you all are thinking I'm a shopaholic. That's all the regular 'life' stuff plus the random big expenses that seem to come up every month - car repairs, house renovations, dental work, etc.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 06-09-2011, 11:58 AM

Greatest to least?

Mortgage
Groceries
Utilities
Property Tax
Cell Phone Bill
Cable/Internet Bill
Savings
House Insurance
Mortgage Protection Insurance
Automotive Insurance
Bus Fees

**Mom2-3** · 06-09-2011, 12:03 PM

Mortgage
Groceries
Auto Gas
Utilities
Cell phones
Auto insurance
Cable/Internet/Netflix

**pollypurebred39** · 06-09-2011, 12:12 PM

Debt repayment
Mortgage
Utilities (oil, electric, trash)
Food
Car gasoline
Insurances (Life & Car. Home is included in the mortgage)
Internet & phone (bundled)

Other then that I'd say emergency car repairs, emergency (like DH has to fix a broken pipe or a gutter because they are causing water to pour into the basement) house repairs and things like car inspection, renewal of DL's, etc. The kinds of things that must be done.

Everything else like presents for the boys or anyone else, clothing, shoes, housewares, pet food and vet care, HBA, any entertainment or anything else really come from my gift money from in-laws. (unless I make money doing product testing) I put it all in envelopes and use it throughout the year. DH's gift money goes for a few music CD's for church choir and the rest goes in the bank for the other bills.

**Hamada** · 06-09-2011, 12:30 PM

Rent
Savings
Transportation
Food
Doctors
Internet
Cable

That is pretty much it. Luckily transportation with be lower next month!

**forHISglory** · 06-09-2011, 12:41 PM

1. Health insurance (takes almost one third of income)
2. Charitable giving
3. Utilities and groceries are about tied
4. Other insurance (house, car)
5. Other misc.

With no debt at all, we actually are pretty conservative spenders. We do some big projects once in a while (remodeled kitchen, bath), but these are not consistent, and we pay cash. So savings, I guess, is a category, but at this stage of life, I haven't listed it as a consistent category.

**pollypurebred39** · 06-09-2011, 12:44 PM

Opps! fHg reminded me, tithes come right off the first of our income. Along with charitable giving like missions.

**a.nonymous** · 06-09-2011, 12:46 PM

Since we're debt-free, it has been roughly in this order (prior to that, debt repayment took the spot of savings):

Savings
Rent
Groceries (and occasional eating out)
Insurances (life, health, auto & disability)
Transportation incl gas
Phones
Leisure (blow money)
Utilities
Internet

Once I'm back home (end of month) and we don't have two rents to pay anymore, groceries and rent will be in contention for the second position. I think groceries will be slightly larger.
And phones should move down a spot or two.

**Dancing Lotus** · 06-09-2011, 01:49 PM

I think it's pretty universal for groceries to be number one or two on the list.
It sad when you think about. We spend the majority of our money on food and yet most people put no thought into where the food they buy comes from or how it's made.

My number one is food
Then gas for our vehicles if your just talking about monthly expenditures.

**imagine** · 06-09-2011, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by AnnK

I think it's pretty universal for groceries to be number one or two on the list.
It sad when you think about. We spend the majority of our money on food and yet most people put no thought into where the food they buy comes from or how it's made.

My number one is food
Then gas for our vehicles if your just talking about monthly expenditures.

Do you have a rent or a mortgage?

**imagine** · 06-09-2011, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by forHISglory

1. Health insurance (takes almost one third of income)
2. Charitable giving
3. Utilities and groceries are about tied
4. Other insurance (house, car)
5. Other misc.

With no debt at all, we actually are pretty conservative spenders. We do some big projects once in a while (remodeled kitchen, bath), but these are not consistent, and we pay cash. So savings, I guess, is a category, but at this stage of life, I haven't listed it as a consistent category.

I'm not sure how much our health insurance is it comes out before we get our paycheck.

**imagine** · 06-09-2011, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

Savings
Miscellaneous spending
Food
Mortgage
Gas
Utilities

ETA: I'm just going to clarify "miscellaneous" just in case you all are thinking I'm a shopaholic. That's all the regular 'life' stuff plus the random big expenses that seem to come up every month - car repairs, house renovations, dental work, etc.

oh I didn't even think about the repairs and big things that come up. Like the air conditioner needing to be fixed this month. That was more than my mortgage and more than groceries. I guess I forgot to put them in my pie since those things don't come out monthly.

**nuisance26** · 06-09-2011, 02:55 PM

mortgage
medical insurance and co-payments
food
property taxes
family fun/vacation
gas for cars
car insurance
home items/repairs/maintenance and improvements
electric
natural gas
pocket money
education expenses
family birthdays
phone/cells/internet
water/sewer
clothing
home insurance

**frugalwarrior2** · 06-09-2011, 06:34 PM

Wow.
Mortgage
2nd mortgage
CC
college fund
utilities
food
car gas
pets

Maybe because i coupon but food budget is less than 25% of mortgage. I would have thought everyones mortgage/rent who wasn't living w/ a relative would be that way.
Interesting thread.
Question-I incl. prop. taxes,Interest,insurance and death benefit ins. in mortgage. Is that what others did?