Husband shopped for a month of food for just us yesterday and it was $600. Iām sure there will be things that we need to get in addition, things we can carry over to the next month, and things we end up using from what we already had. But $1200 a month for four to five adults is nowhere near unreasonable.
Thereās probably some things we and you could cut. Less meat more beans? Fewer treats? More stuff from scratch? Might go find and try to revitalize the thread on making groceries less expensive Iām pretty sure exists.
I need to stay out of Samās Club. I should also cut back on going out to eat, but letās be honest. I fucking hate to cook so some nights I just go fuck it and we go out.
kind of gave up on the last week, tbh. havenāt tracked anything and I know I made some purchases that put my āfunā spending over my limit. I think I might be trying to save too much, since Iām constantly going over? I donāt know.
if anyone has tips for creating a regular tracking habit, I would love to hear them (other than ynab which Iāve tried like 4-5 times, my brain doesnāt understand it)! I feel like I do well for a month or two and then burn out and donāt want to think about money at all, so I ignore my budget sheet and am suddenly wondering where all my money went.
This sounds like a common cycle and for me, an indication that Iām trying to be a little too extreme too quickly. Maybe try easing up on limits or tracking fewer categories to start?
If people get overwhelmed with tracking, it usually means theyāre tracking too much. Focusing on a single category, or bigger broader categories with auto-splitting (needs 50%, wants 20%, savings 20%, for example) can be a way to combat that.
I like Simplifi as an alternative to YNAB, it works better for some folks brains.
Another option is to zoom out. Instead of doing it monthly, do it quarterly, or annually.
For me what worked was to create my own spreadsheet from scratch, which I āupgradeā at least once a year and track my expenses there. Every day. Without exception. I find that having a spreadsheet 100% customized to my own specific situation is very motivating to keep it up and improve it over time. Perhaps that could work for you as well?
This is why I prefer tools that auto update and categorize. Mint being the common one. Iām terrible at actually keeping up on things daily or weekly, monthly I can manage. It basically runs in the background and I can check in whenever.
Pretty much but thatās by choice. I am an extremely picky bitch I will admit. I want things done a certain way and the only way they get done that way is to do it myself. Again, thatās on me, and no one else. Mom does act as my sous chef though.
Like tonight, I made my version of hamburger helper. Mom had the meat browned and drained for me when I got home and got out all the ingredients I needed. Little things that make it easier for me. Also Mom washes dishes since I cook. I despise washing dishes. We donāt have a dishwasher as my Dad doesnāt want one. āDishwasher? You mean the two good hands the Lord gave you?ā Thatās what he said when I was 15 and asked why we couldnāt get a dishwasher.
Now as for Dad and Bro cookingā¦no. Fuck no. Weād be eating bologna and beanies & weenies and tv dinners if they were in charge of cooking. Lord Almighty just no. Please no.
End of the month wrapup:
Total spending: 3005.39
Vacation Spending: $714
Spending=~50% of gross income, and came in under for vacation Spending while visiting 3 states and five cities in four weeks which isnāt bad.
Week 4 checkin of nonfood, nonbill spending (I will total everything up for the month at a time when I am not supposed to be workingā¦)
Week 4 was SPENDY thanks to Halloween. And because a lot of it was cash, my tracking is not accurate so Iām going to need to guesstimate.
Entertainment:
Food and drinks at various points during the weekend, including birthday drinks bought for a friend: at least $80 in cash
2 Lyft rides: $41.67
Bus fare: $1.25
Dinner out: $12.41
Drinks: $16
Brunch for me and Boyfriend, my turn to pay: $41.28
Krewe expenses:
Shoes for parade costume $12.05
Things:
Credit card annual fee: $39. This sucks but itās my longest history card.
Soap and hand sanitizer: $16.41
Voltaire concert merch that I didnāt need: $20
Hair dye $25.52
Also. Why did I spent $0 on coffee in March 2016? Well, I only drank 18 cups that month, so I assume I got those for free at the office/work events. As compared to October 2022, when I drank 72 cups and did not get free work coffee.
