Need Help with Budgeting and Spending Wisely

Try this site. You can loolk up the hosts to see if there is one near you. You can look at the menu too each month.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Those are all very good suggestions. Also, you can make out a menu of meals for 2 wks and shop once for what you will need to make those meals. Also, shopping at Aldi lowered our grocery bills tremendously (e.g. spent $70 at Aldi, whereas those same items would've cost $130 at a chain grocery store).

C.,
My husband and I are currently taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. See if your church offers the course or if they will offer it. IT IS AMAZING! In the mean time, you can do to his website at www.daveramsey.com and take a look at what he says. He also has a book called Total Money Make Over. He gives you budgets, and everything you need to know. The Financial Peace class though, is woven with scripture and includes tithing and such. One of the things I have begun to do is a daily menu. That way, when I budget and do the grocery, we are not overbuying, underbuying, and food is not getting wasted. It's also easy because it's tempting to say, I dont feel like cooking lets eat out...but when you have the menu for that day and the food is in the fridge ready to be cooked, its a little less stressful. At any rate, I highly recommend Dave. He will get you on the right track, and teach you step by step. Hope this helps. N.

C.,

Do not feel discouraged as I think everyone has this problem. The good thing is that you want to do something about it! As for the grocery/meal planning issue, I have been using some of the features of a great website www.menusformoms.com. It's a bit clunky and hard to figure out sometimes but it has a menu plan each week with the recipes and grocery list. There is an archive of menus in case you want to substitue a meal to your tastes. The great thing is that the weekly plan is designed to be quick,cost effective, usually around $75-$85 a week. It also suggests items to buy in bulk to freeze for future use and has a list of pantry items that you should always try to keep on hand so that when you do go to the store you are buying mainly fresh fruits, veggies and meats. Perhpas this will help a bit! Also, I always take a list with me to the store, I write out my list, then take a piece of printer paper and write out the categories of the store (fresh, canned, meat, dairy, etc) and put each of the items under the appropirate category. That way I'm not running all over the store for stuff and I hopefully won't forget anything. Apparently Giant Eagle has a sheet that you can pick up at the store that lists their items by aisle or some such thing that many people are using now in conjunction with their lists. I have yet to evolve into a coupon or sale finder, until you are really disciplined in the list and meal planning you might end up being overwhelmed with keeping track of coupons and end up buys items that you don't really need.

For the money and budgeting portion of your inquiry, like many of the other responses, you really need to get an idea of what you are spending your money on, then you will know which habits to tweak. I use my online banking on a daily basis so that I can always check what is going on rather than balance a paper check book to the penny. I have 2 checking accounts and a savings. I assign each of my monthly expenses to a particular pay check so that they are always paid on time and the expenses associated with each paycheck total about the same so that I can have about the same amount of flex money each week. It also helps to set aside half of your mortgage or rent each pay period that way you don't face a huge bill where one pay period ends up really lopsided and over committed. Anyway, I update all of my bills each paycheck in my excel sheet, figure out what needs to be paid, what I can spend on groceries, gas, save, and the rest I can spend as I choose. I transfer the appropriate amount of money for the bills to be paid into one of the checking accounts that I call "fixed", only bills get paid out of this and the flex money stays in my "variable" account which is connected to my debit card. This system has worked out really well for my husband and I because sometimes one of us doesn't know what the other is spending but in the end at least we're not spending money that needs to go to bills.

A fried of mine is VERY diligent with accounting for every penny and they indicate on their budget various items that they are saving for each month, ie. clothes, haircuts, christmas, etc. They keep a running total on their spreadsheet and transfer the money to their savings. Then when it's time to pay for the ridiculous costing salon trip or the water bill that you get every three months, they transfer the money to checking and don't skip a beat in their regular budget. This is a great idea and will help make wise purchases on the big stuff or stuff that you want but never dreamed you could spare the cash for. But if you're not use to being disciplined, it might be a gradual process and that is ok too. Also for the spreadsheet budget, I went to microsoft.com to their templates and found a budget template and adapted it for my needs, you will find categories on there that you might not have thought to appropriate money towards!

If you are willing to take some time to look at some detailed information, 2 good sites are:

www.crown.org
www.daveramsey.com

Many churches offer financial "help" classes based on one of these 2 programs. They help give you step-by-step guides, tools, and personal advice and accountability. Check if your church offers something similar, if not another area church probably does (and you can find locations on the above websites).

As for grocery shopping, I do encourage you to make out a menu and a corresponding grocery list. Commit to buying only what is on the list (you can still plan in "easy meals" and treats - just plan for them!). You'll still find yourself running to the store occasionally for milk, bread, etc . . . but you'll stay on budget much more!

If you want more input, please feel free to contact me! I have personally used many of the tools offered on the above websites, including going to a "cash only" system - I'd be happy to help further if I can!

hello. I have 3 children and I work minimally outside the home. My bf used to get paid once a week, then he changed to twice a week, I was nervous thinking how was I going to do this. How can I budget, pay what needs to be paid, and still have enough money to buy, food, formula, diapers and make it til the next pay. I was very very careful at first.. First I made a list of what needed to be paid out of each paycheck, mortgage, truck payment ect. Then I figured out what it would cost per week for diapers, formula, house hold items, and then I figured in, gas, groceries. I do it alittle different then other moms have said. I do buy in bulk too but i do it when its on sale.. Like I have a few recipes that I use boneless skinless chicken.. we have a rulli brothers by our house that puts it on sale if you buy 5 pounds or more, well that works out fine for me, what I dont use I freeze.. and I found that I can make 6 meals (for family of 4) with 5 pounds of boneless chicken.. Well hamburger on sale at 89 or 99 cents a pound (usually if you buy 5 pounds or more).. I will buy that, what I dont use, I freeze.. I cut coupons and I go to places that have double coupons.. I used to think that cutting coupons was a waste of time, but when you use double coupons, i have saved as much as 30.00 on a visit, it adds up.

When I decided to stay home with my son, we needed to reevaluate our spending (especially with grocery shopping!) I found the website www.budget101.com and it has helped us to reduce our grocery spending by $125 per month plus save other places too.

There are great ways to save that I never thought of! Best wishes to you and your family!

My husband and I started doing this money management program and I can honestly tell you that it works. The fella's name is Dave Ramsey, and the program is called total money makeover. He has a website...its daveramsey.com...check it out..It has worked miracles with us

When my husband and i decided that i would leave my full time job and stay home with our daughter, we went over our finances very carefully. For two months we didn't use cash for anything only our debit cards. As i have access to our account online, i can look at every penny that was spent during that two month period. It AMAZED and SHOCKED me when i saw what we were spending our money on. My husband and i were literally nickle and diming ourselves to the poor house!!

If you keep track of every penny you spend for one month, i think you be surprised at what you find flying out of your wallet. As far as when to go to the grocery, i have a whiteboard on our fridge and when we run out of something i put it on the whiteboard. When i have several things on the whiteboard i go to the grocery and buy ONLY what is on the whiteboard. Sticking to a list saves a lot of money at the grocery store!

i know the vineyard of columbus (in westerville) has a wonderful money management class/program that i believe is still hosted by Jeff Best. check it out!

do you use coupons or buy off brands? We always shop at Wal-mart as they are usually cheaper than actual grocery stores that only sell groceries. Our grocery bill is very small and we eat well!

C., Heres what I do...hope it helps. Get a notebook and write down every bill you have. Decide how many paydays you have and which bills get paid on that day. When you pay it, mark it off as "Pd". With groceries, I sit down with my cookbooks and figure out what to make for that week. I try to make soups, stews, or chili's that will last 2 nights, or freeze leftovers for a meal the next week. If you have a crockpot it is your new best friend! Look at the ingredients you will need and look at what you already have on hand. Make your grocery list stock up on extra bread or milk (you can freeze a loaf of bread if you have too much) This may seem like a lot of work at first BUT you will save money by sticking to a list and it will get easier. Also, when you do your bills, make a "bill" that says Savings and pay yourself too.

I got on microsoft excell and and typed out exactly where all my money went each month. I took my pay check from gross pay and even show where all my taxes go and things that come out before you get the net pay. Then with the net pay I started with the big bills, moved on to things that have to be paid monthly or baught monthly (groceries) then put in the bills I pay a year or 6 months at a time and divided them up in monthly cost (you have to plan on putting this money aside each month or it won't be there when you need it). I figure out how much I would want to put in savings, and the rest is "extra spending"/"extra savings" or to help pay off a loan of some sort faster.
Also, try not to budget on what you SHOULD get but what you are getting. What I mean, is don't go out and buy something or spend money because your next paycheck should be so big and then your paycheck comes and they took out more taxes than normal or something, and it's not as big, because you put yourself behind before you ever got the paycheck.
Make sure you aren't trying to bugdet off your Gross amount (the amount before taxes) verses the Net pay (the amount you bring home). There can be a HUGE difference in these numbers.
There are lots of places online that have free bugdet worksheets. You can go to google and type in budget worksheet. There's some that will charge you, but others are free. Remember, even if health insurances are on the worksheet but come out of your pay check...make sure you don't take them out twice.
Save everything you spend money on for one month. Write it down, keep really good track of it, and see where it goes. Don't change anything this month, just do your normal thing. After that, you can make adjustments to where the money goes and think about what you're doing with it. (This includes every thing you spend: cash, credit cards, checks, school fees, etc.)
Make a whole list before going to the store. Write out whose eating dinner at home which nights and figure out a monthly meal plan for each meal of the day. Put everything you would need for that meal plan on the list. Then go to the store and buy only whats on your list. Never go to the store hungery (that ALWAYS gets me into trouble).
I hope some of this helps. It helps me budget and know where my money is going and what I can save and such.

I'm not exactly sure what "normal" is. There are always things that run out sooner than others (milk, bread, etc.) So don't beat yourself up about needed to get more.
I highly suggest you write a list before you go to the store and make a promise to only get what's on the list.
I also suggest keeping ALL your receipts for the month. Then at the end of the month, spread them out and look at what you purchased. Make a list of separate types. List all the Grocery spending, Restaurant, Discount Store (Target Kmart Walmart...), medical, gasoline, utilities, rent/mortgage.
Tally each section up and see where the money is going. I think you'll be surprised at how much you spend on 'little' things.
Good Luck.

I started a coupon rebate club,, a bunch of moms, grandma's whomever come to my place of business once a week and share ideas, coupons, trade items, menu's .We are planning on a shopping trip together next month which we have a contest going who will save the most.. Of course it's free to join..and we get coffee and dessert , we take turns on bringing something each week.. Please email me at ____@____.com with any questions..

I have found that when I bought meat packages that cost roughly $150 to $175 that my shopping bill was a lot lower because I only had to buy veggies, milk, bread ect. for a few months. Plus with all the meat that we got in the packages we saved a lot of money. What I do is always take money out for rent, electric bill, gas bill ect. then grocery bill, then gass for the van. What was left then I just threw into the savings account. This is used for doctor visits, medicines ect. This helps us out a lot! I don't go to the store half as much as i used to becuase i have all the meats and veggies here already I only do 1 major grocery shopping a month. But Yes it is normal to have to pick up bread or butter or milk these things you run out of a lot faster than the other items. I just don't like to be in a grocery store that much because I am trying to change my life style of eating habbits and it is very hard to see all the food that I should not have.

Check into your local Meat stores in your town. compare prices and see how many pounds of meat you can buy at there price and then look in to a regular stores prices and see what the differences are.

Good luck and Managing money can be very hard. I also tried the saving the reciepts for a month..... wow I felt like I flushed my money down the drain before. It really works.

I've used The Grocery Game in the past to help me keep track of coupons and sales. I decided to not pay the fee for that service anymore, but watch the sales carefully and stock up on staples when they are at their best price.
Someone else mentioned saving your receipts for a month. This really is the only way to understand your current spending and make the changes necessary to save! I was honestly shocked to see how a trip to McDonald's here and a pair of shoes there added up to serious overspending.
Good luck!

When we start working out our budget each year, we first figure out much money we'll have after taxes each pay period. We then figure approximately how much we spend each month on each utility/service/extras that result in monthly bills. This includes cell phone bills, if you use a maid (hahaha, I wish!), newspaper subscriptions, etc. Once those amounts have been subtracted from the post-tax salary, we subtract any additional amounts we're wanting to save for retirement, college, vacations, etc. This then gives you an idea of how much you'll have for groceries, clothing, etc. At this point, then, it's up to you to decide how much to spend in each category for the month. If you go over in one category, subtract that amount from a different category. If you're faithful to your budget, you'll be amazed how much you'll save!

If you can, start entering all of your finances into a computer program called Quicken. It's awesome for helping you budget! You can also keep track of where every penny you spend is going.

One of our friends has a monthly meal menu they use so they know exactly what they'll be buying each month. That's too rigid for us. I printed up a list I created with all of the foods we often have around our house. Whenever one of those items is used up, all we have to do is circle it on the list. We've also used a chalkboard in the kitchen to keep track of any items we need to buy. This gives you a great place to start. Lists are a fabulous thing when you're grocery shopping - as are coupons, too, of course. (Yes, I think we have all hit the grocery store at least once a week for something we've forgotten or got used up quicker than usual!)

Start small. You can do it!