Anonymous wrote:what's on the credit cards if not groceries/gas/shopping/etc?

About $5K of large car repair and vet bills - the car and cat both almost died at the same time. And our rate with capital one is sooooo high - like 25%. I need to try to transfer the balances so that the $300/mo I pay goes to more principal to pay it off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much do each of you make? Like, what's the split on that $8000?

Me: $5600 (net/month)
DH: $2400 (net/month)

Wait: you spend $2000 a month on childcare but DH is only making 2400 a month? Isn't that a net loss with taxes?

Why are you counting childcare against her DH's earnings only?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are you trying to reduce your budget? What kind of tips are you looking for?

How do you only spend 80 on gas?

What's TV separate from the cable? I'd drop those.

Life insurance looks high. I pay less than that for a private policy. $1 million of coverage.

Why do you have a storage fee? Can you get rid of the stuff?

Gas is low because neither of us have to drive much - I live in Pimmit.
Because I have a Pimmit house under 1000 sq ft and no basement, we really need the storage unit
TV expense is similar to Netflix purchases
I should change my life insurance - it is totally too expensive.

What is in the storage unit?

what's on the credit cards if not groceries/gas/shopping/etc?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much do each of you make? Like, what's the split on that $8000?

Me: $5600 (net/month)
DH: $2400 (net/month)

Wait: you spend $2000 a month on childcare but DH is only making 2400 a month? Isn't that a net loss with taxes?

Yes, it is. But in 2-3 years, his salary will be 2-3x what it is now (and it's not a sales job), so I figure we are investing in our future and just have to bear it.

How is that guaranteed? What kind of job is this?

Anonymous wrote:Here's my budget. Feel free to share tips. Also feel free to rejoice in how much more money you have than us if that's the case. It is what it is. . .

2500 Mortgage
101 Storage
2000 Childcare
725 Student Loans
175 Cell
305 Credit cards
100 Power
40 Trash
20 TV
75 Water
40 Cable
45 Gas
90 Grass
250 Auto Loan
80 Auto Gas
40 Parking
80 Auto Insurance
145 Life Insurance
100 Doctors
60 Vet/Pet Meds
50 Gym
600 Grocery/CVS/Pet
175 Amazon Subscribe/Save
60 Restaurant
150 Shopping
150 ATM/7-Eleven
35 Gifts
120 DH Work Expenses

8311 - TOTAL

Have bolded what I would cut down/ cut out. Honestly, this whole thread is a little confusing to me given your responses.

I say this nicely OP, but it doesn't really sound like you want to cut any expenses. If you want to continue struggling for 2-3 years, that is your choice. But it seems foolish to plan on what his salary SHOULD be then. He could get injured, he could get sick, or it simply might not happen.

I feel like this is the same as someone posting wanting to lose weight. But then they say "well I like my bacon and eggs in teh morning. I can't give those up!" "NO no, my McDonalds for lunch destresses me from work and I"m so busy at work I have to do fast food" Get my point?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much do each of you make? Like, what's the split on that $8000?

Me: $5600 (net/month)
DH: $2400 (net/month)

Wait: you spend $2000 a month on childcare but DH is only making 2400 a month? Isn't that a net loss with taxes?

Yes, it is. But in 2-3 years, his salary will be 2-3x what it is now (and it's not a sales job), so I figure we are investing in our future and just have to bear it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much do each of you make? Like, what's the split on that $8000?

Me: $5600 (net/month)
DH: $2400 (net/month)

Wait: you spend $2000 a month on childcare but DH is only making 2400 a month? Isn't that a net loss with taxes?

Sell your stuff in storage. You must not really need it, or it wouldn't be in storage. Switch cell phone plans. Cut the gym. Stop buying stuff at 7-11--it's always expensive and seldom healthy. Monitor your CVS purchases carefully. Keep a list of what you're running low on and go to Target once in a while.

How much credit card debt are you carrying? If you didn't spend money on the shopping, ATM, and grass categories for a few months, could you get rid of your credit card debt and free up that money for your monthly expenses?

Anonymous wrote:Family of 4 and I've been clipping coupons since Jan. I've finally hot a stock pile big enough that I spend about $75 a week which is $300/ month. I spend about $20 in fresh produce at the Asian market and use the rest to buy whatever's on sale.

Where can I score some good coupons?

Anonymous wrote:what is this?

175 Amazon Subscribe/Save

Diapers, paper towels, toilet paper, and laundry detergent. It's much cheaper to buy it there than at Giant. I admit we also buy $24 in K cups there too (we get 50).

Anonymous wrote:How much do each of you make? Like, what's the split on that $8000?

Me: $5600 (net/month)
DH: $2400 (net/month)

Anonymous wrote:You live in Pimmit and hire out the grass? That's the laziest thing I've ever heard. What is that, a twenty-minute task?

DH works 6 days a week, generally 13 hour days. Im a lawyer - we have absolutely no extra time to cut the grass. Plus, we have no shed in which to put a lawnmower.