I am doing a budget

[Mudcat]

That's what it has come to.

From the mid-00's at the height of my wagering career and I was comfortably over 6 figures in the bank and I never gave much thought to spending.

. . . I have been careless (stupid?) for years and now I am paycheck to paycheck and I have to pay attention.

I have to think about what I'm doing.

This is something that hit the fan a few months back when my car broke down and I couldn't afford to fix it - and I took transit for a couple weeks.

That was the eye opener. Only took several months to start with an appropriate reaction.

And here we are. I am doing a budget. A strict budget is the idea.



Here is the initial report: it's not good.

 

[IAG]

I've been throwing around the idea of a budget for the last couple months. I just don't know how one does that as a gambler. Too many variables that could throw things off on a given month.

 

[bacon]

 

[Boner_18]

I'm sure it's no surprise that my life is strictly budgeted. If you use credit for mostly everything I'd suggest mint.com. It makes tracking and categorizing spending a cinch.

 

[MrMonkey]

I'm sure it's no surprise that my life is strictly budgeted.

Our entire married life has been that way until recently with a little more extras! We pay off our credit balances each month! Cash and carry people for the most part! No ATM cards either! Might be extreme for most but out motto is, if we can't afford it, we don't buy it!

Fellow guys at work come in with brand new BMWs, Mercedes, and lots of jacked up 50-75K PU trucks and then they start crying that they can't get any extra days to work! You can't eat and drink a PU truck MFer!

Seriously I could be a top notch budget planner for people who need it! Always thought it was so simple to do but lots of people seem to not be able or want too! Everyone wants the American dream but we all can't afford it! Politically speaking the term is Personal Responsibility or lack there of!

 

[Mudcat]

It is fairly simple for me. Most income and expenditures are fixed.

I get paid twice monthly ---> that's fixed.

Rent, car insurance, cable/phone/internet - unless I go on a downloading or long distance binge or something - which I never do --> fixed.

Gas is not exactly fixed but reasonably predictable.



So that leaves me with a figure for how much money I have left for food.

Turns out ---> $3.26.

That's what I can afford for food. $3.26 per month.

 

[Mudcat]

So I have my food budget - and like Gwyneth Paltrow I obviously start with the purchase of 6 limes

. . . now what?

 

[Matty]

I paid someone to budget for me.

Ok, the wife took my money and gave it to a financial planner.

Now I know exactly when and where I overspend.

 

[Mudcat]

I'm going to use my whiteboard for this.

Taking down the notice of construction on my commute that was supposed to end in February - and gonna start tracking my food spending versus budget.

My whiteboard is about to become a whole lot more happening thing.

 

[Saulty]

I do a budget but first I calculate food expenses. If there is money left I pay for gas and insurance. You can always walk and buy food but you can't survive without food.

 

[Mudcat]

I am excellent at buying things when they are on sale but Frank's Red Hot Sauce ----> never on sale where I'm at.

That's the big challenge here.

 

[Tron]

You can't eat and drink a PU truck MFer!

Mr.Monkey just nailed down Post Of The Month for June.

 

[reno cool]

So I have my food budget - and like Gwyneth Paltrow I obviously start with the purchase of 6 limes

. . . now what?

wtf are they paying you with over there? $3 for food

that sucks going through a 6 fig bankroll.
I went from 30k to 0 twice. Only took a year both times.

 

[Mudcat]

They say your outgo for housing, whether that is rent or mortgage or whatever, should not be more than a third of your income.

So they say.

My outgo for rent is more than a third of my income.

 

[Blitty]

Time to downsize

Juror or plommer would make suitable roommates.

 

[Tron]

Your fresh pineapple days are over, sir.

 

[bacon]

 

[reno cool]

yeah that 30% for housing is a bit of a fairytale. thats what buries you in America. housing