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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Hah... I was literally just texting the wife about this cause I paid our credit card bill for this month.

Thanks for scheduling a payment on Oct 27, 2014, with Online Banking. Here are your payment details:

Payment amount:	 
$11356.09
 
Payment date:	 
Oct 31, 2014

If you see an error with this scheduled payment, just sign in to Online Banking—we’re here to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

....

WHERE DOES IT ALL GO !?![/quote]

You need to quit with the credit card until you figure out where it all goes. The credit card (really, plastic of any sort, even a debit card) makes it sooooooooooo easy for it to sneak up on you. This is extreme, and if you're doing fine without it, then keep on keeping on, but for those who are feeling the squeeze and don't know how they're going to make it work - go to cash for a little while. The envelope system. Yes, it feels old-fashioned and for some people, uncomfortable carrying that much cash. But it will be a real eye opener when you budget $800 for groceries and you take $200 a week - you'll be watching what goes in your basket realllll closely.

Even for people who are well off and out of debt, I really think Dave Ramsey's lessons around budgeting (on paper, on purpose, before the month begins) and using cash for at least a little while as you start to get your spending under control (that doesn't necessarily mean cutting back, just that you know where it's going before it goes) is a life changer. We're not religious, and were never in super massive debt (DH had about $25k in student loans, I had about $5k, he also had a $20k car loan when we met), but the Dave Ramsey philosophy has been amazing for us.

FWIW, DH and I are 29/30; make about $180k combined, have lived on his smaller income only ($85k) since we got married a year and a half ago, and we'll have our house paid off in about 16 months. $500k combined net worth. I started out at $36k out of school and bought a home on my own when I was making $60k, so it isn't like we've always had a comfortable HHI. No family money. We have a GREAT life, we don't feel frugal or like we're being denied anything. But we started early and we make a plan for our money before the month begins. Yes, we've made some choices (smaller house, nice used cars) that help us along, but the NUMBER ONE thing is knowing where the money is going BEFORE it goes. Not after. Don't tally it up, like Mint.com does. Plan it ahead of time. On a yellow pad if you need to.

It is a life changer, it really is. [/quote]

Sorry I should have said I didn't need advice. Could have spared you typing all that up, but thanks. Those are great numbers for your age. Despite our $11,000 bill we manage fine - or income is about $320k and we live on $120k much like you. This month was atypical. [/quote]

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