April 1st--time to start again...

**Cricketlegs** · 04-01-2008, 04:35 PM

So here is what I did.

DH got paid his salary--he gets one on the 31st and one on the 15th

The commission is the big money I pay the bulk of the bills with.

So I get $400 in cash and deposit what is left(enough to pay the car insurance and one doctor bill payment..sigh)

I give out dh and my allowances

dh=$50
me=$25(I still had $20 from last week lol)

Get 1/2 of the grocery money=$100 I do use the grocery/stockpile money as a whole shared amount where needed. The total is $150

Get stockpile/coupon money=$50(no coupons used as I went to Sams)

Gas money=$50

Pets=$70

I had lunch so sue me lol Subway=$6.54

so the break down is this==

First I gave out the allowances=$75
Next I got gas=$30.74 so I put $20 in the gas envelope for when I need it, if I do.
Then I went to wash my car--used vacation change of about $3.00
Went for pet food, cat litter etc=$60.61=so $10 in envelope for future pet foods as needed
next i went to Sams--I made a killing but YEOWAZA! DD has her lunches for the month. I spent $87.68 of my grocery budget.

I did very good but talk about sticker shock lol.
I stopped at the bread store-WOW cheap=$5.96 for for 3 loaves of fiber plus bread, buns and snack pies AND I got FREE brown and serve rolls for spending $6.00 I guess I was close enough lol. I will be going BACK to the bread store. I usually pay over $2 a loaf!
Then I ate at subway in walmart because I am bad and I needed my strength after lifting 3 times my weight in TP at Sams....

Finally to walmart where frankly I only have about $40 for groceries--luckily I have another $100 coming. I spent $34.65 and bought mainly just meat as I am loaded with vegetables and lunches and TP--30 rolls of TP I tell ya!!!

lol

So, while I still have cash in my systems and grocery and gas money coming in about a week I am still under and within my budget using cash envelopes.

If I had been using my debit I would probably have spent way over at the grocery store instead of buying what I NEEDED to get me to my next point and then bill juggling would have been the flavor of the day as well as welling and a gnashing of teeth.

Still on budget...

Oh I forgot I alos cashed in last months change--$43 and added that to the vacation fund and added $50 from the sale of dds old ipod(she got a new one) so now in March I was able to save $145 towards our vacation without taking it from the budget! I already have new change from using cash today for Aprils cash out change! All extra envelpoe and my allowance goes into the vacation fund.

Good day, good day.

**Jskell911** · 04-01-2008, 08:57 PM

Wow! Sounds like you found a sytem that really works for you. Great job!

**lilk** · 04-02-2008, 04:09 AM

Wow! I like your plan.

**Clutterbug Jen** · 04-02-2008, 09:29 AM

Woo hoo ... you did totally awesome!!

~*Jen*~

**changed4life** · 04-02-2008, 09:44 AM

I got dizzy reading it all!

LOL But you did it and wrote it. I'm impressed. LOL

But, good for you!!

**forHISglory** · 04-02-2008, 10:19 AM

You've got a lot of details, but if it is working for you, by all means keep it up! I really like your sense of self discipline.

**mmy2grls** · 04-04-2008, 04:15 PM

sounds like the envelope system is really working for you, congrats

**ktsmama** · 04-04-2008, 04:22 PM

Sounds like you had a good day!! I have also started using the envelope system this month. So far so good.

**Samigirl** · 04-04-2008, 04:43 PM

I like your attention to detail. You sound very committed to keeping your finances in order. Good job!

**dianne9106** · 04-04-2008, 06:25 PM

That is awesome! But tell me - do you have a separate gas fund for yourself and DH? We normally include gas money in our allowance every two weeks (we also get paid on the schedule). So do you take out $50 for your gas every two weeks? I have a Honda Odyssey and granted it gets decent mileage, but I have to drive all over creation in the course of a week! This is not fair because we get the same amount for gas/allowance and I have to spend more and drive farther on my regular errands to include visiting my mother, etc... How far does your DH drive for work and how much does he spend per week on gas?

**dianne9106** · 04-04-2008, 06:52 PM

Is the allowances every week or for every two weeks?

**TheRootedNomad** · 04-05-2008, 08:58 AM

I use an envelope system that sounds similar on pay days. It would be complicated for someone else to figure it out but I just know what the routine is and it works (when I use it). It's nice to know someone else does things so close to the same.

I have been off track mostly since the start of the year. Everytime I thought I was back to routine use of my system I got a curve ball (like DH being out of work for over a week at the beginning of March ). Now I'm forcing myself to be in the routine. Currently my debit card is vertually unobtainable (its wrapped in paper and taped up in my purse) until the envelopes become rote habit again.