How often do you re-do your budget

**Momto5RN** · 07-18-2010, 09:55 PM

since my husbands check are 2x a month ( 15th and 30th ) and my once a month paycheck are for the things that are regular bills and my weekly income can go up and down based on how much i work so i use that for food- kids activities and debt repayment- i usually re-do the budget 2x a year .

once in september when i find out exactly what the kids tuitons will be

and usually once in february to april when we find out if dh gets a raise and if our co-payments for his insurance goes up etc - we can end up with more coming in - with it equaling out or less coming in depending how business has gone and the % we pay for insurance.

i keep a list of what unepecteds my weekly checks need to pay if we have b-days or christmas or dental work coming up so that i have an idea of what to expect that next month before the first as far as where my weekly pays will go .

**frugalwarrior2** · 07-18-2010, 10:03 PM

For each month i write a projected budget and then an actual budget after I see what life throws at us.

We make an overall budget 2x a year w/ to rough out tuition,home reapirs etc.
If we see a raise (ha) it will go to savings.

**Luckybustert** · 07-18-2010, 10:35 PM

Mine is a work in progress. I'm constantly updating it and rearranging things.

**Libby** · 07-18-2010, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Luckybustert

Mine is a work in progress. I'm constantly updating it and rearranging things.

Ditto - I usually keep the same basics but add in variables - about once a month I do this.

**TigerGirl1226** · 07-18-2010, 11:24 PM

Mine also changes monthly.

**MaryCarney** · 07-18-2010, 11:51 PM

I also do the projected one monthly, and adjust as we go.

**Palooka** · 07-19-2010, 02:13 AM

Originally Posted by Luckybustert

Mine is a work in progress. I'm constantly updating it and rearranging things.

Yeah that. Dh sometimes gets a surprise bonus and that always goes to debt. Then figure it all again and the kids stuff never stops.

**Greebo** · 07-19-2010, 03:07 PM

I am paid biweekly, and Cea has an irregular income, so we do a 4 week budget with 2 paydays each, 13 times a year.

**Simple me** · 07-19-2010, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by Luckybustert

Mine is a work in progress. I'm constantly updating it and rearranging things.

Same here. Usually on the last day of the month, I'll make the new one for the next month.

**nodmicks** · 07-19-2010, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Luckybustert

Mine is a work in progress. I'm constantly updating it and rearranging things.

**nodmicks** · 07-19-2010, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Luckybustert

Mine is a work in progress. I'm constantly updating it and rearranging things.

**khaski** · 07-28-2010, 04:15 PM

Once a month, before it begins, but we're often tweaking as hubby's OT hours can change and therefore change the amount coming in. You need to have a budget but be reaasonably flexible (and I don't mean 'Let's take $50 out of groceries to get chinese out tonight).

**jennordhavn** · 07-28-2010, 10:17 PM

My budget is done at least a year out, but I adjust it as needed. So all of my regular expenses are in there and then I will add in things that I anticipate (I usually estimate until I know amount(s) for sure).

**forHISglory** · 07-28-2010, 10:41 PM

We usually do our budget once a year. As teachers, we worked under a yearly contract, so knew exactly what our monthly income would be. We were paid once a month and bills came once a month, so it was easy to do monthly income, and monthly outgo.

Even now as retired people, we still do the budget yearly, since we now have a fixed montly income.

We also worked night school jobs, and had a little income from bonds. That just went straight into savings.