Your thoughts on what to cut...

[Anonymous]

I have a husband and five kids and spend less than $150 a month on clothes averaged over the year, also shopping the thrift sales. That figure includes my personal thrifted shoe addiction. How many clothes are you buying?

Is there anyway to consolidate all that driving, or is everything in proximity to everything else? Even if you're not going out of your way, you should still cut out some trips. You can only spend money if you're at a store. Personally, I consider myself a frugal person and was still shocked at the money saved when we moved from a school that was right next to a Target to one in the middle of nowhere.

[Anonymous]

Wow, I"m a PP and you are not at bare bones.

You certainly don't need new clothes every month. Heck, most people really don't need new clothes every year with the exception of replacing items that might be stained or not fit. Growing kids it's harder, but even then she doesn't need a boatload of things.

Gym - cancel the membership, that is 100% discretionary spending.
Entertainment - board games at home. this will also save you on babysitting costs.
Dining out - stop doing it

Shopping - why Trader Joe's milk? It's an extra stop and, for me at least, TJ's is filled with tempting things to buy. Get your milk at Giant. Are you meal planning for 1-2wks at a time? If not, start since it's much more economical to plan ahead.

Consolidate those errands.

You're lucky in that you do have a lot of things to cut costs and tighten up your spending.

[Anonymous]

You probably spent more like $6000 - $8000 last month.

You should list all of your expenses to really see where your money is going, like Doctor bills, lawn care, veterinary, pharmacy, fast food, etc. Try mint.com and categorize the last 2 months of spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DH keeps telling me to cut back the CC payments. I am trying to pay off a balance - $12,000 - which is mostly medical expenses. I hate paying the interest!

General merchandise is largely clothes for me and DD - mostly bought at thrift shops. DH says I can cut this out too, but I save so much over retail!

Other includes things like dining out, petcare, entertainment, home improvement, etc.

My driving routine is actually closer to 25 mi per day. DD to school, me to gym, grocery or other shopping, back home or to school to pick up DD, back to gym to "train" her and then home.

I do groceries: fresh vegetables Great Wall, Merrifield (usually buy sale items); Giant or Safeway depending on sales and coupons and Trader Joe's for milk (usually stop there after school as it is next door).

It's not a savings if you don't need it. I'd be careful about overbuying clothes and such, it could get your daughter on a pretty spendy habit when she's out in the real world.

[Anonymous]

Just stop going to stores so often. Like PP said, shop anything other than groceries once a week. I always drop money when I'm in a store whether I need the crap I'm buying or not.

[Anonymous]

Why in God's name do you need $500 worth of clothes a month?

I sincerely doubt I spend $500 a year on clothes for myself. I spend slightly more than that per year on my kid and if you are shopping thrift stores $500 should supply a full year's closet or more for a kid.

What's in "other?"

I would cut those two categories immediately.

Also, nearly $700 for food for 3 seems insane. Shop sales and meal plan based on what's on sale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the shutdown and furlough, DH is imploring me to cut expenses. I think I am bare bone as it is. Here is what I spent last month for our family of three.

Credit card payments: $689.00
Groceries: 616.45
General Merchandise: 466.13
Gas: 258.60
Cell Phone: 191.01
ATM Withdrawals: 80.29
Other: 345.61

Total: $2647.09

Honestly, you cannot be serious that this is "bare bones." Bare bones means NO eating at restaurants, no smart phones, no new clothes (even used ones).

If your husband is honestly worried about this shut-down, start making minimum payments on the credit card, stop buying clothes ENTIRELY, no new toys, no new puzzle books, no "General Merchandise", no eating out. Your grocery bill is sufficient for a month for a family of 3. Honestly, you can shave of $1,000 a month with no trouble.

Respect your husband enough to stop blowing through your family's money!

[Anonymous]

Also OP, are you not working? It sounds like it. Like you drop your kid off at school, go to the gym, pick her up, do an extracurricular activity at the gym with her, shop, then home. Or something like that. Geez. You need to get a job, your DH is probably grinding his teeth with financial anxiety at night. These are your saving, building years-- you need to bring in some income, even part-time.

[Anonymous]

How can you spend $400+ general merchandise mostly at thrift shops? This doesn't add up to me. You need a line by line itemization, your generalization means nothing.

Why is your gas expense so high?

[Anonymous]

You don't "save" buying at a thrift store if you don't need it. Do you have five outfits to wear to work? If so, then stop buying clothes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How can you spend $400+ general merchandise mostly at thrift shops? This doesn't add up to me

+1.... Thats a lot of thrift store crap!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't "save" buying at a thrift store if you don't need it. Do you have five outfits to wear to work? If so, then stop buying clothes.

She doesn't work.

[Anonymous]

If clothing falls in General and Other includes dining, entertainment, etc. and groceries are separate -- what else is going on the credit card? Is $600/month just to pay off the balance or are you spending on the credit card each month also?

It will take time to make changes, but start off small. How many times a week are you eating out? Cut it in half. Same with Starbucks if you're a coffee person. Also, I think you can go 1-2 months with no clothing purchases. After that re-assess how much you've saved and see what other savings measures you can add. Assuming your DH is going back to work (not a contractor), this will be over at some point, so it doesn't seem like you need to go paycheck to paycheck right this second but it does seem like you can cut back pretty easily.

[Anonymous]

OP here - I am simply paying off the balance on the credit card. We have no car payments - both my and DH's car are paid for.

Regarding eating out - almost never, maybe once a week. I don't do Starbucks.

DH, fortunately, is excepted so his pay will be made whole when this is over. In the meantime, I guess we may have to tap into some savings.

However, DH has been after me for months to cut back, I do it for a time and then he comes in and tells me it is creeping back up! I really resent it a bit b/c I know I am trying hard buying everything on sale, virtually buying nothing new, etc. and b/c he works and I don't. I don't work b/c his career has been itinerant with the Federal Government and that has made it difficult for me to put down roots and make a career in once place. So, his career is partially to blame for my not working.

[Anonymous]

You are buying WAY TOO MUCH (your merchandise and other categories are outrageous). You don't need so many clothes! You should be able to buy your kid a season's worth of clothes new at Target for under $200/season (and that is "summer and winter" not four seasons. Brand new! And why won't your clothes from last year work if they were such great bargains? Ridiculous.

Pay yourself a clothes and other household budget in cash you both agree on each month. Put it in an envelope. when it is gone, it's gone and you are done for the month. Save it up if you want something big. Done, no more fights with your DH over this kind of thing. if you need to separate out a similar budget for DD's clothes and toys, do that too to rein yourself in. Don't blame him because you don't have a job.