Tracking our spending

[KMS]

We have been spending too much money lately! I'm sick of looking back at how much money we're spending on eating out, gifts, or random little purchases over the month. We have so much debt to pay down and we're spending hundreds on food. :snide: Yesterday I started a spreadsheet with every single little purchase, other than the usual bills. I figured the very 1st of the month was the best time to start.

Hopefully this will make us own up to our unnecessary spending. Like yesterday, we spent almost $40 - $20 lunch, $12 on kitty box & litter, & $8 on a few groceries. We really didn't need that single $20 lunch! The groceries we bought are going to provide us with like 3 meals.

Chad is looking for a new job and we both realize that this job isn't going to be as high paying as his current job. If there's any time to buckle down, it's right now! I don't really know what my point is. I'm just frustrated and am going to try to fix this all too common problem.

[southern*belle*]

I understand that!! Josh and me are trying to figure out where all our money goes, because it seems like as soon as we deposit it in the bank, it's all gone! I'm still trying to figure out what we spend the most on....

[WebLady]

DH and I have a spread sheet for bills and we always discuss what "other" things we spend money on. We each normally have a budget of like $20 a week to spend on whatever; anything else we have to run by the other first.

Budgeting is hard sometimes cause even when you make more money there always seems to be something you want or need to spend it on.

[Jacklynn]

We spend WAY too much money going out to eat! We are always trying to control ourselves haha. The little things add up soooo much too! We are always looking at our online statement going, "$4 at Walmart, $12 at Target, $8 at Walmart, $15 at PetSmart....." and we look back and think what in the world did we even buy?!

[f77g4]

I'm very anal with money and so feel your frustration. I try to budget but something always seems to come up. What I did was set up a spreadsheet for my expensives every month by subject lines like bills, food, etc. At the end of the month I see where my spending was really taking a hit - $200 a month on food (just what I've paid for as FH's expenses are kept separately) then I try to do what I can the following month to curb spending in that area. I stopped eating out so much at lunch and have limited our eating out at supper to only the weekends. I need to get back in the habit of doing that but things have been so hectic lately with my sister moving in, my father being in the hospital, the cops busting our back door down, and my exam the other night.

Good luck!

[MrsDM]

OMG - this was our arguement last night. At least most of you are married. I feel like we work, save, spend money on the wedding. Not that we both don't want a beautiful wedding, but, ugh! We were really good about saving, but then the summer came around and we splurged. We are in the same boat as the rest of you, we are definately trying to crack down. Well, ok, I am because FH doesn't like spending money.