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Discussion Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: oonamas on July 25, 2012, 11:56:11 am

Title: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: oonamas on July 25, 2012, 11:56:11 am
I try to stick to a pretty strict budget. On top of bills, and expenses we know we're going to have like groceries and gas, I give myself $200 extra a month for random purchases and things that come up. How much do you budget?
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: kleenex40 on July 25, 2012, 01:17:39 pm
Wish i had 200 axtra a month/all of our money goes for bills,gas,240 on food,propane.im lucky if i have 10 to spent on myself
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: shapingmyhome on July 25, 2012, 05:47:06 pm
When we had a budget...... Need to get back to that lol.... My husband and I had $20 each every two weeks. We could use that for whatever we wanted but it usually got used on drinks and food since we had a small eating out budget lol
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: CHANEYLAKEGIRL on July 26, 2012, 06:13:08 am
My husband and I each have $40 twice a month (15th & 30th) to spend.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: lgemini on July 26, 2012, 06:19:36 am
I am not good on using a budget each month, I keep on borrowing from my little saving account.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: ljrjess69 on July 26, 2012, 06:33:59 am
not very much  :( im doing good if i got 50 a month to spend
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: southernhorizons on July 26, 2012, 07:37:15 am
I am not good on using a budget each month, I keep on borrowing from my little saving account.
That's not a good road to be on! LOL I know making and sticking to a budget is tough, but it is necessary if you want to stave off financial disaster. If you need help making a budget, Dave Ramsey has forms and advice that might help you: http://www.daveramsey.com/tools/budget-forms/ (http://www.daveramsey.com/tools/budget-forms/)  (I hope this link is OK, it is not a referral link). I listen to his show sometimes, and while a lot of it is geared to people with higher incomes, he does have a lot of good advice for everybody.
To answer the OP, I usually have about $15.00 to spend on extra things per week. But I don't always spend all of it, so then the next week I have more. I also save up my change, and turn it in when I need extra spending money.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: PGS28 on July 26, 2012, 08:15:24 am
I'm on a pretty strict spending plan too (I read somewhere that saying the word budget implies lack of money and that's what you will continue to have) and I grant myself $20-50 pleasure money but after I buy my home in Texas I'll be able to allow much more.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: momdileo on July 26, 2012, 08:47:04 am
we have a budget I keep all receipts and put them in a book to see how much money we spend on what things in a month.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: oldbuddy on July 26, 2012, 10:18:47 am
I don't budget for random expenses at all, that's why I am online doing programs like Fusioncash so I don't need to. All the money I earn here and a few other places goes for retirement fun, since Social Security doesn't include enough for that. Last Monday I used a Groupon I had to take a cruise in the Columbia River Gorge and have lunch at the Dockside Cafe. I had the money sitting in PayPal, so when that deal came along I could grab it and make my fun money go twice as far.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: LenoraMinogue on July 26, 2012, 10:25:33 am
It varies, but right now money's pretty tight, so not much in the way of spending money.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: fc2 on July 26, 2012, 10:26:51 am
I don't budget for random expenses at all, that's why I am online doing programs like Fusioncash so I don't need to. All the money I earn here and a few other places goes for retirement fun, since Social Security doesn't include enough for that. Last Monday I used a Groupon I had to take a cruise in the Columbia River Gorge and have lunch at the Dockside Cafe. I had the money sitting in PayPal, so when that deal came along I could grab it and make my fun money go twice as far.

Old Buddy/Warren Contreras,

I emailed you over a week ago at your website and you never replied to my request to join your website. Is your site down? Are you no longer accepting registration requests?
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: oldbuddy on July 26, 2012, 10:32:08 am
I don't budget for random expenses at all, that's why I am online doing programs like Fusioncash so I don't need to. All the money I earn here and a few other places goes for retirement fun, since Social Security doesn't include enough for that. Last Monday I used a Groupon I had to take a cruise in the Columbia River Gorge and have lunch at the Dockside Cafe. I had the money sitting in PayPal, so when that deal came along I could grab it and make my fun money go twice as far.

Old Buddy/Warren Contreras,

I emailed you over a week ago at your website and you never replied to my request to join your website. Is your site down? Are you no longer accepting registration requests?

That's about the time I was fishing in Alaska, so it could have been lost. Email is not the best method of communication at best, so you could try again or use Skype for better results. Thanks for trying.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: thtrngng on July 26, 2012, 10:48:19 am
my spending money budget changes every month. my other bills and necessities dictate how much spending money I have for myself. So depending on the current state of my affairs will determine how much I will have to spend on me.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: sdenimandlace1 on July 26, 2012, 11:03:10 am
Thanks for reminding me about budgets I hope to retire in four years so I need to get with it.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: fc2 on July 26, 2012, 11:10:24 am
I don't budget for random expenses at all, that's why I am online doing programs like Fusioncash so I don't need to. All the money I earn here and a few other places goes for retirement fun, since Social Security doesn't include enough for that. Last Monday I used a Groupon I had to take a cruise in the Columbia River Gorge and have lunch at the Dockside Cafe. I had the money sitting in PayPal, so when that deal came along I could grab it and make my fun money go twice as far.

Old Buddy/Warren Contreras,

I emailed you over a week ago at your website and you never replied to my request to join your website. Is your site down? Are you no longer accepting registration requests?

That's about the time I was fishing in Alaska, so it could have been lost. Email is not the best method of communication at best, so you could try again or use Skype for better results. Thanks for trying.

how about phone call? i dont do skype at this time. or how about right in here?
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: oldbuddy on July 26, 2012, 11:13:13 am
I don't budget for random expenses at all, that's why I am online doing programs like Fusioncash so I don't need to. All the money I earn here and a few other places goes for retirement fun, since Social Security doesn't include enough for that. Last Monday I used a Groupon I had to take a cruise in the Columbia River Gorge and have lunch at the Dockside Cafe. I had the money sitting in PayPal, so when that deal came along I could grab it and make my fun money go twice as far.

Old Buddy/Warren Contreras,

I emailed you over a week ago at your website and you never replied to my request to join your website. Is your site down? Are you no longer accepting registration requests?

That's about the time I was fishing in Alaska, so it could have been lost. Email is not the best method of communication at best, so you could try again or use Skype for better results. Thanks for trying.

how about phone call? i dont do skype at this time. or how about right in here?

That would be great, but they do not allow us to disclose personal contact details in this forum. That's why I went to the trouble to make myself easy to find on Google.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: bholmes618 on July 26, 2012, 11:15:56 am
It varies for us, depending on what projects we are doing around the house or what is going on with the kids.  I know if you don't keep track or budget, it can add up very very quickly.  I definitely wish I had more fun money and less designated towards bills/gas/groceries though.  One reason I am always looking for new money-making jobs online.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: oonamas on July 27, 2012, 09:55:18 am
Really interesting reading everyone's responses - and I agree a budget (or spending plan! :)) is really important if you ever want to accumulate any money. I guess I'm pretty lucky that I can give myself $200 a month. It seems like a lot, but I still typically manage to spend it! It goes towards things like cat food and cat litter, gifts (everyone in my life is getting married or having a baby lately), coffee or happy hour with friends, acrylics and canvas, etc. That's why I call it my miscellaneous money!

FC and selling odds and ends on ebay help fund my miscellaneous money each month. My husband also gets miscellaneous money - $300 per month because he is way less into budgeting than I am, and already resents being put on an "allowance". How do you couples out there deal with different money perspectives?
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: KSimonetti92 on July 27, 2012, 11:42:37 am
I usually try to limit myself to a budget of around $50 for random spending money. The trick is to have more on hand than what you need, but have a goal set. Such as, going to the store for toothpaste with a $5 bill. Buy the toothpaste, and put what is left in a jar for vacation or whatever you'd like to save up for. I know it sounds like small potato savings, but just in the past month I've made $20+ in random change this way. It adds up really quickly! I don't like having a bunch of change in my pocket, and I try to put all my one dollar bills in there, too, so it works out well.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: oonamas on July 30, 2012, 12:25:36 pm
I usually try to limit myself to a budget of around $50 for random spending money. The trick is to have more on hand than what you need, but have a goal set. Such as, going to the store for toothpaste with a $5 bill. Buy the toothpaste, and put what is left in a jar for vacation or whatever you'd like to save up for. I know it sounds like small potato savings, but just in the past month I've made $20+ in random change this way. It adds up really quickly! I don't like having a bunch of change in my pocket, and I try to put all my one dollar bills in there, too, so it works out well.  :thumbsup:

That's a great idea, and I totally agree that the small change adds up! Every few months I roll all of our change, and usually come up with about $20 or so. Not bad when you think it was just a bunch of unused coins sitting in a jar before I cash it out!
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: sammywantsya on July 30, 2012, 01:21:33 pm
i do it smart :D i usually pay off my bills on time
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: diala84 on July 30, 2012, 01:23:58 pm
I don't really budget my money. I use Mint.com so I know I am spending below what I make every month but I spend different amounts in different categories each month.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: ttix67 on July 30, 2012, 05:18:18 pm
I try and give myself at most $100 a month to work with since I have little to no self-control over buying things that I don't even need. Expenses such as rent, food and bills all add up anyway so I have little room to work with but I still try and save as much as I can.  I plan to purchase a house soon and need as much as I can save for the down payment.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: smarie62 on July 30, 2012, 05:57:00 pm
Every time I budget I don't stick to it, after I pay all my bills and have enough for food since it is just myself I can spend at least 100.00 and that will be enough since I have a man who pampers me all the time.  I don't or should I say stick to my budget at all and when I spend all my money then I am upset about the whole thing claiming that next month will be different and it does not.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: hawkeye3210 on July 30, 2012, 06:57:10 pm
Don't really budget for random expenses on monthly basis. I budget for the necessities though.
Title: Re: How Much Spending Money Do You Budget Each Month?
Post by: squirrelgirl44 on July 30, 2012, 08:51:55 pm
I don't really have a "budget." Luckily I usually have enough to get the stuff I want although I rarely have anything left over.