Hi - is there a sticky or some such with a list of suggested budget categories?
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Hi - is there a sticky or some such with a list of suggested budget categories?
There are some suggestions in this thread.
One way to come up with your budget items is to look back through your bank statements and/or credit card statements for the last several months.
This is what mine looked like for part of last year. I very briefly had a car payment while in the process of moving money for the payoff. There are also a LOT of specific things that likely won't apply to many people--- long term car insurance (Metlife LTC), Adobe (for photography software), hobby stuff (photography, crafts/sewing) Hulu/Netflix, and my sinking funds for living room floor replacement and HVAC replacement.
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Thanks Coolmom. I think I have most of the categories accounted for but just want to think about anything I may have forgotten. I also have a habit of paying for things in cash or by paypal so that doesn't help with a paper trail.
That's why I don't use a lot of cash. Too hard to track where it goes. Something I figured out.... if there is some place that you stop often for small purchases--like a drink or a snack or a small amount of groceries, or whatever.... get yourself a gift card to there, and just take the money out of the budget when you get the card. Then no need to track so many small purchases. And it's easy to tell where the money went.Quote:
Originally Posted by DebtNinja
Can you tell in your paypal account where the money went? I know some vendors use such odd names it's hard to figure out sometimes.
That's genius!Quote:
Originally Posted by coolmom42
Yes sometimes it can be tricky. I started using paypal as an alternative to a credit card online. I think I just need to pay closer attention and check the charges every week or month instead of every few months.Quote:
Can you tell in your paypal account where the money went? I know some vendors use such odd names it's hard to figure out sometimes.
Something else I love about this tip - have you ever just wanted something small like a black coffee but felt badly sticking the merchant with Visa fees so you buy more? I often take my laptop to Panera to get some work done and find myself doing that. A gift card is genius - thank you!Quote:
Originally Posted by coolmom42
Yes I hate to do that! A lot of small businesses won't take a credit card for a sale under $5, and with good reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by financial_mom
True confession: I quite often will get a drink at Sonic. There is one less than 1/2 mile from me. If you put the Sonic app on your phone, you can use it like a prepaid card, AND drinks are ALWAYS half price when ordered on the app. So when I am about to leave the house, I order my drink on the app, mark ASAP for pickup, get there, check in with the app and give my stall number. PRESTO my drink appears! One of the carhops told me they get an alert that sounds like a doorbell inside, when someone checks in. They check the stall number, get the food, and deliver it. It's a pretty slick app. Frugal AND convenient!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DebtNinja
Also, check to see if any place you go often has a phone app that gets you some sort of discount for using it. There is a fast food place called Sonic, in the US, and you get half-price drinks and quite often free things, by using the app. Convenient and thrifty!
If you spend that Paypal money, it needs to be an on-budget account, and reconciled in your YNAB or whatever you use to track money.
Here is a link to a document that will help you identify non-monthly, recurring expenses.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zoJ...ew?usp=sharing
Let me know if it doesn't work or if you think I should add some items to it.
It's a great idea, but I can't access it!Quote:
Originally Posted by KVinKC
PM me with your email and I will send it to you.Quote:
Originally Posted by DebtNinja