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In the interest of transparency . . . we are revealing our monthly budgets and actual spending on this blog in the hopes that you can learn from our mistakes!!
Remember, we are doing the zero based budget as taught by Dave Ramsey.
So, here is our October 2009 budget:
Income (including reimbursements) $4042.96
Tithe $416.00
Housing $1304.54
Mortgage
Utilities $0
paid ahead last month
Food $300
Transportation $701.12
Gas & oil $300
Insurance $86.58
Payment $314.54
Medical/Health $242.27
Medical Insurance
Personal $675.10
Freedom/Sinking Fund $180.10
Toiletries envelope $50.00
School tuition $325 (paid ahead last month)
Blow $20
Pet envelope $50
Hair envelope $50
Recreation $0
Entertainment/Netflix (paid ahead last month)
Debts $403.93
C. MC $5.00
CU. MC $5.00
US CFE MC $5.00
US CLE MC $252.93 (debt currently in line in the snowball)
H CFE MC $60
H CLE MC $60
Disney movie club $16 (past due, now paid in full)
FYI: there are several debts that we are in forebearance on (2 student loans and a private loan). These debts will be “activated” once the credit cards and trailblazer are paid in full.
Copyright 2009, Freedom and Happiness
Thanks for posting this. It’s nice to get other peoples financial stories - it helps in planning our own. Are you still on the $150/month plan? Do you only include food in that, or do you also have toiletries in it? What is a Freedom Fund?
Thanks!!
We will have to raise our grocery budget to $300 this month. $150 just wasn’t enough to keep stockpiling and feed our family. My intention was never to use up what I have in my pantry and freezers, my intention was to at least maintain my level. However, we realized we didn’t have enough of several things which was very helpful to us. Our variety of meats is lacking and this challenge brought that to light for us.
Although I have a toiletries envelope, I am including this month’s toiletries in our $300. I will retain the toiletries envelope for my facial stuff I buy through Mary Kay. I’ve done several store brands of facial cleansers and have only found 2 that work well for my skin: a clinique line and a mary kay line. Since my girlfriend sells MK I’m currently using the MK line. It also seems to last a lot longer (I can use less of it than the clinique line). I only buy 2 products so I don’t go hog wild.
I will write a post on the freedom fund and put it up in the next 2 days.