Re: Budget
I use an Excel spreadsheet myself. I budget the following areas:
Mortgage- These are controllable, same amounts every month
Utilities (in my town, internet, water, trash pickup, electricity - it's all one company and handled on one bill) - These are noncontrollables, and things I try to watch closely so as not to waste money such as shower lengths, amounts of laundry I do, turning the lights off when we leave the house, etc.
Gas- These are controllable, same amounts every month for me
Phone- These are controllable, same amounts every month
Insurance - These are controllable, same amounts every month
Groceries (I set a $300 a month allowance for groceries and don't go over that) - I usually do 2 trips a month because I like fresh stuff, as well.
Entertainment (this includes movies, dining out, etc - I set a limit on that and I don't go over it, if I reach that limit, my ass stays at the house the rest of the month)
Future Concert/Tour Saving (I set aside 50$ a month to save for the next tour and hotels in preparation for the tour that is to come next)
Then I have categories for my daughter, not sure if you have children but she has Private School and Activities that she does, so that all gets budgeted too.
Basically, the best way to do it is look at your online banking for a whole month and look at everything you spent money on and make categories for it. Look at all your misc expenditures and ask yourself, "Did I really need this?" or "Is this something I should spend money on?" and add up all your totals and take out things you don't think you should have spent money on and set those as your goals and limits.
I use an Excel spreadsheet, as well. It helps.
I know it may seem cheap or whatnot to live by a budget, but I've found I've been able to set money aside and I'm more prosperous living by a budget than without.
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