Now may be the time to learn something new and be one of those positive things that you have learned from lyme.

Setting up a budget is something that I have found most people do not do.

No matter what the income is or isn't.
www.crown.org has a program that helps people do this. IT is a volunteer program so there is no cost. A person will meet with you one on one and help you get the process started.

It is Christian based.

When I was working with adults, I taught budgeting. IT was a lot of fun and an eye opener for both myself and the class.

First you record all expenses for approximately 3 months....including popping money in a vending machine, cups of coffee here and there, etc. Those quarters add up.

It is an eye opening as to where you money is going. I would have the students estimate where the money was going before putting it down on paper.

Where it was actually going, was a different story once it was down on paper.

Then determine what your net spendable income is for the upcoming month.

Now, we get into breaking down expenses:

Expenses:

1. Housing

Include rent or mortgage payments, insurance, electricity, gas, trash, water, sanitation, taxes, phone bills, cable, ISP server, maintenance, etc.

2. Transportation:

Car payments, fuel, insurance, licensing, maintenance/repairs/replacement (you need to estimate some of this and then divide by 12 to get a monthly figure)

3. Food

4. Insurance

Life, Medical, Other

5. Debts

Credit card, loans and notes, other

6. Entertainment and REcreation

Eating out, actiivities, trips, vacation, other

7. Clothing

8. Savings

9. Medical expenses

Doctor, Dentist, Drugs, Other

10. Miscellaneous

Toiletery, cosmetics, Beauty, Barber, Laundry, cleaning, allowances, lunches, subscriptions, gifts (including christmas), cash, other

11. School/Child CAre

Tuition, materials, transportation, day care

Housing should only be 30% of your net spendable income.

Add all these expenses up. Substract them from your net spendable income.

How did you do?

Staying within your budget doesn't happen over night. It takes discipline and time to turn things around.

I sat down with a 50 year old man to help him with his budget. Once we figured out what he was spending a year on transportation, he had nothing left of his net annual salary.

He didn't have a clue that his big red truck with dully wheels was costing him that much a year to drive. He sold it, took a loss, and purchased a vehicle within his budget.

He also said he felt like less of a man and that he thought others felt less of him because of what he was now driving. Interesting.

It's your money. It's your choice. But, putting the numbers on paper just might surprise you and help you make different choices.

As I am typing this, I am dealing with the brain stuff and vision stuff. So, I hope it is clear.

I also have found that I use the monthly figures as a guideline.

I have yet to have a month that goes exactly as my figures that I have put down on paper each month. I ran out of stamps, envelopes, printer paper, ink cartridges or something and need to take it out of food money, etc.

I also find I am putting zero's in several of these catagories right now as housing, food, and medical are my top priorities and there is nothing left over for other categories.

If you would like me to send you a budget sheet let me know.

It is more than filling out the budget sheet though. But, it is a start.

Answer:

Whatever one you put into practice.

Please post other suggestions that have worked for you.

She said of course.

She gets the money in she writes the checks out and that is her definition of a budget.

My ex was in charge of the budget for PG&E at his site. But, when it came to preparing a budget at home.....

Even though he did not make a large salary, he was able to amass a small fortune of over one million by the time he died at 83, 4 years ago next month.

But, we hardly ever ate out. He always came home for lunch. My mother never worked. We always took wonderful vacations every year...I seen all but two states, AK and HA. He said the money we saved as a family, not eating out all the time, paid for the great vacations we were able to take.

Have I followed his advice, no. I even have a BBA and don't use the teaching I was taught for budgeting. Guess he spoiled me a little too much.

You reminded me of a story I read about a man who had very little income and did the same as your father.

Only he was able to leave a large sum of money to a charity organization because he didn't have family.

I like hearing those stories. IT gives me hope that some day I too will be able to do something like your father or the other guy.

When I was on my last cruise (over 12 years ago now), a couple on the cruise said they were able to take a cruise every year just from the money they saved by not buying cigarettes, sodas, chips, beer, and other empty calorie food throughout the year.