Help me with my budget please

[tammy88]

ok
im not the best at budgeting i try and something always throws it off..either me, my husband or a unexpected bill

i wanted to post my info and see who can help me

normally..my husband check is $745.00 less 130 for health and 30 for dental a week..he may start a new job this month..and he will start teaching in the evenings again (in sept) which pays $41 an hour for 10 a hours a week. right now i dont work and havent for a year or more..i have a 3 yr old and a 7 month old..but i have started looking again.

OK so fridays my husband draws $745.00, he keeps 110-120.00 a week i get 620-625.00 a week to pay bills..he buys cigerattes and lunch and what ever else, i manage the bills and groceries. im not good at getting deals with coupons and stuff i buy mainly store brand everything...cant do anything about the cigerattes..

Okay Here goes August:

Income
460.00 Current
745.00 8th
745.00 8th (vacation Pay)
745.00 15th
745.00 22nd
745.00 29th
745.00 5th (september)

Bills and due dates
Bankruptcy $273 (past due July)
Cingular $175.00 (past due July ext 8/10/08)
Rent $885.00 (august rent due 8/5/08) ext 8/08/08
Boat Slip $105.00 (past due july)
Geico Auto $84.00 8/12/08 (have the whole month to pay)
Verizon $80.00 8/8/08 (always late)
Directv $80.00 8/12/08 (always late)
Cingular $140.00 8/10/08 (can get extension)
Electricity $495.00 8/16/08 (1 month behind, can do budget plan)
Furniture $36.06 8/15/08
Seventh avenue $25.00 8/25/08
Swiss Colony $20.00 8/15/08
Bankruptcy $523.00 8/30/08
Vehicle Registration $55.00 8/30/08
Premier Credit card $20.00 8/22/08
Premier Credit Card $20.00 8/27/08
Netflix $16.74 8/20/08
Medical $25.00 8/25/08
Medical $30.00 XXX
Rent $885.00 9/5/08
Boat Slip $105.00 9/5/08

Exspenses

Baby Formula $50.00 a month
Groceries $400.00 a month, baby food & wipes
Diapers $25.00 a month
Dog Food $20.00 a month
Gas 160-200.00 a month
Rx 10.00
Cigerattes 240.00 (thinking 2 cartons a week)
DH lunch/XXX $$ 100-120.00 a month



and i need to get a few groceries tonight to have lunches and dinner till friday

thanks for any help

Tamis

[Greebo]

Blunt honesty follows.

Ok, first thought:

You have a bankruptcy, and you have a boat slip, so presumably you have a boat.

WTF!?!?!

SELL THE BOAT!

Second thought:
You already had one BK and now you're going into debt again??

WTF???

Cut up the !@)#$*( credit cards!!!

Other advice:
Quit smoking.

Start making hubby's lunch.

Lose the cell phones.

Stop eating out.

Look - I don't mean to be so harsh sounding, but honey you have a BK on your record and you're still spending like there's no tomorrow. You guys have got some SERIOUS financial growing up to do, FAST. You're putting not only your future but the future of your child(ren) at risk with this wasteful spending.

You CAN clean this up - especially w/ DH making extra money - but I don't care how much money you make, if you can't control where it goes, you will NEVER be any better off!

[Greebo]

Oh - you need to budget net income, not gross. What he comes home with is far less than 745/wk - reflect that on your budget.

[LexTysMommy]

OK a few things jump out at me. Just my 2 cents. Not sure what kind of advice you are looking for.

Cingular and verizon equal $220 a month. what is that for cells? house? both. I personally think that is alot for all of that. does that count internet?

I dont think dh needs $120 a week in blow money especially with such high grocery budget.

How much do you owe left on boat? is that a necessity? what is % on that?

Cancel netflix. call to see if can lower insurance by upping deductible.


What is owed on these with %. are those numbers minimums on them?
Furniture , Seventh avenue , Swiss Colony, Premier Credit card , Premier Credit Card , Medical ,Medical




Not sure why there is 2 bankruptcys on there? how much do you have to pay on that? until when?

[Cricketlegs]

Your expenses can really be trimmed and even cut.

Why 80.00 for dtv AND netflik???--that is $17 right there.

While in this much debt I would suggest dh brown bag it for lunch or at least make extra dinner so he can have nice leftovers.

You can't afford to eat out--your bills are late. $135 pays late bills and would pay off a huge chunck of your $519 credit card debt. Lose the cards--they are never good.

If you must keep the cell phones--try to cut back the packages.

The boat--okay this is killing me. Why why why do you have a boat when you are so in hock up to your eyeballs?

Get your dh on board and get this stuff taken care of.

Get tough. Slash and burn. Save everywhere you can and get your bills current.

Find money in the budget when you are current and make your baby ef.

Start hitting the debt and snowball--it works!

Be brutal--your financial life is in danger way past danger.

[tammy88]

Blunt honesty follows.

Ok, first thought:

You have a bankruptcy, and you have a boat slip, so presumably you have a boat.

WTF!?!?!

SELL THE BOAT!

Second thought:
You already had one BK and now you're going into debt again??

WTF???

Cut up the !@)#$*( credit cards!!!

Other advice:
Quit smoking.

Start making hubby's lunch.

Lose the cell phones.

Stop eating out.

Look - I don't mean to be so harsh sounding, but honey you have a BK on your record and you're still spending like there's no tomorrow. You guys have got some SERIOUS financial growing up to do, FAST. You're putting not only your future but the future of your child(ren) at risk with this wasteful spending.

You CAN clean this up - especially w/ DH making extra money - but I don't care how much money you make, if you can't control where it goes, you will NEVER be any better off!

ok the boat thing:

this goes back a little..after our bankruptcy..its been over 3 years..my husband spent 1200.00 on a motorcycle..he sold that motorcycle for bigger motorycle then decided it wasnt a family thing and swaped it for a bayliner 1988..
im the same way as you i didnt want or need a boat..but he has moments where i cant control what he does..he works, he wants thing sometimes..he wasnt going to be spending any $$ out of pocket and yes i argued that the cash from the bike would have been better but you cant argue with a grown man when he wants something and i really dont want any bashing on him or me..but the boat has a docking fee of 105.00 a month which i told my DH i couldnt budget for..and of course im stuck trying to budget it now..arguing with him does no good..just starts big fights and im tired of fighting about money..i have argue all the same points. its a mute point

the cc are 250 and 300.00 with a minium 20.00 a month payment
the cell phone is a contract i have had it since i was 16 (10 years)




quit smoking? yeah been there tried that with him..for 7 years!! i bug him alll the timmmmeee

eating out..yeah we do grab quick bites here and there


but im more or less looking for a way to put the bills in order this month..not fussing about how many i have...which yup its alot..our fault..

[tammy88]

OK a few things jump out at me. Just my 2 cents. Not sure what kind of advice you are looking for.

Cingular and verizon equal $220 a month. what is that for cells? house? both. I personally think that is alot for all of that. does that count internet?

I dont think dh needs $120 a week in blow money especially with such high grocery budget.

How much do you owe left on boat? is that a necessity? what is % on that?

Cancel netflix. call to see if can lower insurance by upping deductible.


What is owed on these with %. are those numbers minimums on them?
Furniture , Seventh avenue , Swiss Colony, Premier Credit card , Premier Credit Card , Medical ,Medical




Not sure why there is 2 bankruptcys on there? how much do you have to pay on that? until when?

Cingular and Home Phone
cingular is one phone line of 450 minutes there other is wireless internet card..something that doesnt get used a lot but its a contract 2 years and really cant go any where else with out deposits and credit checks...Home Phone is with Internet tried to lower it all the time..but once its lowered they ad taxes and fees which are some where around 15.00 a month plus line protector of 4.99 a month and something else..so the lowest i can get that is 80.00..and i wouldnt be safe feeling with out a home line and caller id

i agree about the blow money my husband gets because 70.00 is just cigerattes and then hes just about broke again..but what can you do..i dont anyone bad mouthing my DH, but we argue about money all the time and im tired of being the B&$#%%

no boat payment..just a slip fee

ccards and so forth..i dont know couple hundred on each

[Buckeye5]

You need to get real with your finances ASAP. Has your Dh looked at the finances??? Do you both sit down and go over bills together. If he will not do this, I would handover the checkbook and bills and wish him good luck. He needs a reality check. You cannot do this on your own if he continues to spend money like it is water. In the mean time, you need to quit making excuses for him, he appears to be selfish, with no regards to you and the stress that your budget is causing. Get yourself some information by reading books on frugality, budgets,

[LexTysMommy]

Well everything you have written down, and his income at $745 per week, looks like you can afford it all by september 5th. Not sure what order to pay it in, i would start with the most behind, then the smallest, then the rest. Try to pay all cc before their due date to avoid late fees though. Good luck!

[Greebo]

Well everything you have written down, and his income at $745 per week, looks like you can afford it all by september 5th. Not sure what order to pay it in, i would start with the most behind, then the smallest, then the rest. Try to pay all cc before their due date to avoid late fees though. Good luck!

The net is only $585 I think - the first post says 745 minus health and dental. Bit confused on that point.

[tammy88]

Your expenses can really be trimmed and even cut.

Why 80.00 for dtv AND netflik???--that is $17 right there.

While in this much debt I would suggest dh brown bag it for lunch or at least make extra dinner so he can have nice leftovers.

You can't afford to eat out--your bills are late. $135 pays late bills and would pay off a huge chunck of your $519 credit card debt. Lose the cards--they are never good.

If you must keep the cell phones--try to cut back the packages.

The boat--okay this is killing me. Why why why do you have a boat when you are so in hock up to your eyeballs?

Get your dh on board and get this stuff taken care of.

Get tough. Slash and burn. Save everywhere you can and get your bills current.

Find money in the budget when you are current and make your baby ef.

Start hitting the debt and snowball--it works!

Be brutal--your financial life is in danger way past danger.

netflix and directv..enjoy watching movies sometimes thats my guilty pleasure i guess with 2 kids i dont get out and thats the cheapest i can get tv for everything is so over prices

dh has no where to put a lunch works contruction and has to do much lunches as meetings so he is constantly at a restraunt or diner or whatever and just buys lunch while he is there about 3 times a week


cell phones - that is the lowest package unfornutately

the boat thing - i didnt see the post on that coming..
my husband got a deal on a bike and felt selfish for not having something family could enjoy. i explained i would perfer we sold the bike and kept the cash to pay some medical bills and start saving for a house he agreed he wanted a house..not a week later he is surfing the internet for a boat..he found one..i begged him not to get a boat we just couldnt afford the exspense that came with it..he argued he would take care of the money with it and i wouldnt have to worry about it and the boat it self wasnt costing him anything..i relucantly with him because when ever he wants something i say no we cant afford it which makes me a negative b^%& and i dont want to be that and that came up several times at first..we have a great mirage until you throw money in to it.

he got the boat and it did end up costing us..moneyy to move it, and docked it, gas up there and back a half a dozen times, food, gas in the boat..so any extra money we had and then some was gone...no point whinning because it was gone and only made things harder

i have no way to get him to see my view and go with it..his arguments is if i just got a job..but my whole paycheck would go to child care and gas i dont see how that would help im not working and running around the clock and coming home to cook and clean and do bills and only bring home 50-100 a week at that point..if that much

he hates when i get on here and chat up about anything about us.

so i really dont want any bashing..you cant change people no matter how hard you try

the only real debt i see is the medical which i didnt post the other little things dont bother me..premier, seventh avenue..those little amounts that arent hurting me to pay

i just wanted advice on how to disperse everything to get it back in order not really cut back..not that much i can cut back on

i didnt think 400 was high for groceries maybe we could do a little better 300.00 but food cost bundles now as well as everything else

[tammy88]

The net is only $585 I think - the first post says 745 minus health and dental. Bit confused on that point.

sorry its 745.00 after everything

[3tomboys]

It's good that you are trying to get a grip on the budget. I understand that it is not always easy to get everyone on board at home. You just do the best you can. Try to look at the thing's you can control. The grocery budget and the dinners out. I know its hard with 2 little ones at home to make dinner from scratch when you are tired but if you try to remember that you are helping your family in the long run it will get easier. I use to be very frugal (it was the only way I could afford to stay home when my dd's were young). I fell off the frugal wagon when I went back to work and am trying very hard to get back on. I am finding it to be easier if I tackle one thing at a time and then add another thing when I am ready. The small things do add up. To help with the groceries there are a lot of ways to get coupons on the internet. There are coupon sites and I have even gone to a few manufacturer sites and signed up and I have received coupons this way. I also review the weekly circulars for things we need and to see if there is anything I can stock up on if it is on sale. Just hang in there and don't get discouraged. When you start to see even the smallest difference it will get easier and maybe it will help the dh to understand how hard you are trying for all of this to work for your family. I also have to add that my dh had a boat that was paid for when money was very tight. I'm not sure how big your boat is but we were able to park ours at home and we didn't have to pay any slip rentals. We just took it out to lake when we wanted to use it. I hope this helps in some way, but don't get discouraged if you fall off or you can't get everyone on board just keep trying!

[Greebo]

I think you guys have some deeper issues than money right now. Suggest you get into counseling for communication issues, and bring up money as a communication problem there.

As long as he is pulling one way and you are pulling another, you will go nowhere good.

[tammy88]

You need to get real with your finances ASAP. Has your Dh looked at the finances??? Do you both sit down and go over bills together. If he will not do this, I would handover the checkbook and bills and wish him good luck. He needs a reality check. You cannot do this on your own if he continues to spend money like it is water. In the mean time, you need to quit making excuses for him, he appears to be selfish, with no regards to you and the stress that your budget is causing. Get yourself some information by reading books on frugality, budgets,

i show him the stuff everyone once in a while and its always him wanting me to cut back which is cutting the internet off (which is the only thing he can throw out there)

im not making excuses for him..he is not good with finance he has offered to take the bills and check book but the idea of him gettng control scares me i dont want things being turned off..

i see it as i was taught and prepared on how to handle money he never was i mean hardly anyone in his family knows anything about money they have nothing and grew up with nothing..and how do you change some one at 40? you really cant..i can argue with him till im blue in the face..but all that does is cause more problems..My family has everything together, homes, retirments, cars, etc..thats what im used to

i love my husband an want no bashing of him or me..