Same here. It is really successful to me becasue since I write it all down I can understand it better. Not only that I don't have to start the computer everytime I need to look at how broke I am.LOL. probaly why I use the pen and paper to begin with...its cheaper.LOL
LOL...Sounds like me. I guess I am wishing somewhere along the line a few extra zeros will appear under income and a few less under bills. I am really finding this funny...thought I was the only one who did this.
I use a calendar and write down all my income on the paydays and list the expenses and the monthly bills somewhere along the side. I check them off as they are paid and use my check register to track them all. I find this easier.
I find software programs like excel very confusing, I find that I do not use it enough to keep up with it. One time I do fine the next time I am totally lost on it.
I guess it is easier for me to just write it all down and deal with it that way. I did find a little book with pockets that you can put all your reciepts in and track your bills there, I used for a month or two and went back to my same old ways.
I have to agree, I am not real good at staying up with the computer programs either, I just pay them as they come in, it makes it easier. Then I write the check number and amount on the bill stub and through it in my trusty shoe box.
I usually can not afford to pay them as they come in. I know we have two paychecks a month so I devided them (money wise) equally by payment due date between both checks. I can almost tell my hubby when each payment is due by the time of month it is. the only thing that throws me off is the two months you get three pays. It messes up the dates of the other two sometimes.
I like the months when there is an extra paycheck, but you are right erb1953, they still remain to be every two weeks.
Fireyone,
If it helps you could you do your bills or look at it as if it is every two weeks instead of twice a month, I know it is all the same but you say that it throws your weeks off. I really don't understand if it is still every two weeks, you may actually get to pay one or two ahead if you want to look at it that way.
I see you guys post on a lot of different posts on here, how do you have so much to talk about? Just kidding, I am sure that I will get the hang of it sooner or later here, I just don't have a bunch of time on my hands these days. I do enjoy coming here though and at least keep up with my initial post anyway. Thank you all for answering my questions, I am just trying to figure out where to go with this, if anywhere.
Those are the months that you can put a little back for the holidays or for some big bill that you know is coming like taxes. Mine always catch me by surprise and they are a yearly thing so it should be no surprise that they are coming at all. I just am never prepared with the whole money amount, I guess I just hate the thoughts of giving that much money away all in one clip.
seems like as my income grows, so do my bills, seems hard to get a head some times, feel like a drunk, one step forward, six steps back, LOL
Yep..That is here too. There just never seems to be any extra money. I thought once my bros racing was over that would save me $30 a week. Well then I had to start saving for taxes and Christmas so it didn't really matter in the end. With my lione of work you never know from week to week what is going on so it is really hard to try to figure anything out. I am hoping for a few more weeks but I will have to wait and see.
Every year I say I am going to start a christm,as club and then never do. It was an especially bad year for me this time so hopefully next year will be better and I can.
I have attempted a savings account and swear every year that I will not touch and low and behold I always find a reason to pull some money from it. At the end of the year there is only enough to keep the account open.
Well I didn't get that few more weeks I had wanted so oh well. I know what you mean GN. Usually they want you to open a christmas club account at this time of year.. It is the worst time for me so it doesn't happen.
Yes thats what I was doing to. My monthly payments never stay the same anyway. I guess I am a little old fashioed and still prefer the ease of pulling out the tablet instead of starting the computer,waiting for it to load, getting to the program...you know the drill.
I am not looking forward to the next few months. with all those Holidays and days off it should make the budget a tight one. what I really hate is when you have one day off and then have to work that Saturday all the overtime for the week is then shot. This always seems to be the roughest part of the year for me. December through late January you can feel all the tension.
Need another three paycheck month here lol, I have a straight work week, hubby is always on call, he goes out alot in the winter time when his machines go down. I hate it when the roads are bad, worry about him getting home okay.
I could use another paycheck per month myself. What I really wish I could do is pay off all this extra credit card and loan debt and things would sail fine then. Then once Jan. hits and the perscription co-pay is done away with it will help even more. At least I have somehting to dream about. Lets not even discuss winter roads. I live "down in" and can't even stand the thoughts of snow.
I hit ice on a bridge this morning and about lost it, I hate winter driving, it wears me out. I drive about 29 miles one way to work everyday, I think I will be using my truck alot this winter.
Makes it ahrd to want to work when weather condtions are like that. I hate the ice that you can't see. I use to get so stressed when I had to drive into work and by the time I got there it seemed as if I already put in a full days work. Winter driving beats even CREDIT CARD stress.
i do not use any budgeting software at all as my wife is a big budgeting software for me .I know ladies (some) have a good sense of budgeting so they avoid the extra bills wherever is necessary.
As i am freelancer is not working on wages so never depend on paychecks.My wife plans all the expenses for the coming month & thus we never face any problem in terms of very serious condition. :arrow: :?:
My husband is the same way. I always told him if something happened to me he would be unwise to how the bills were paid. I baought a little black binder with inside pockets. Inside this biinder is a budget for each month and the pockets hold the bills as they come in so none is forgotten to be paid.
what i personally do is i keep the money at some safe place i.e. fixed deposits, website money so from where it could be really difficult for me to withdraw the amount and thus it remains there as safe.But make it a point that you keep the money only to that place where it is really " safe", otherwise it will be just doomed........... :wink:
pen and paper is what I use
Well, how successful are you with your budgeting?
Same here. It is really successful to me becasue since I write it all down I can understand it better. Not only that I don't have to start the computer everytime I need to look at how broke I am.LOL. probaly why I use the pen and paper to begin with...its cheaper.LOL
I usually write it down and then re write it down, then figure it all up again, re arrange it and do it again.
LOL...Sounds like me. I guess I am wishing somewhere along the line a few extra zeros will appear under income and a few less under bills. I am really finding this funny...thought I was the only one who did this.
I find the re writing comes in when I have overspent on something that I should not have been spending on.
This is sounding too familiar. Are you my the man in my mind?
I don't do any budgeting, that's why I don't use such software.
It is just a suggestion, you don't necessarily have to use it.
I use a calendar and write down all my income on the paydays and list the expenses and the monthly bills somewhere along the side. I check them off as they are paid and use my check register to track them all. I find this easier.
I find software programs like excel very confusing, I find that I do not use it enough to keep up with it. One time I do fine the next time I am totally lost on it.
I guess it is easier for me to just write it all down and deal with it that way. I did find a little book with pockets that you can put all your reciepts in and track your bills there, I used for a month or two and went back to my same old ways.
I have to agree, I am not real good at staying up with the computer programs either, I just pay them as they come in, it makes it easier. Then I write the check number and amount on the bill stub and through it in my trusty shoe box.
I usually can not afford to pay them as they come in. I know we have two paychecks a month so I devided them (money wise) equally by payment due date between both checks. I can almost tell my hubby when each payment is due by the time of month it is. the only thing that throws me off is the two months you get three pays. It messes up the dates of the other two sometimes.
Well on those months don't you have an extra paycheck? Reality is it only falls every two weeks regardless. October is one of those months right.
I like the months when there is an extra paycheck, but you are right erb1953, they still remain to be every two weeks.
Fireyone,
If it helps you could you do your bills or look at it as if it is every two weeks instead of twice a month, I know it is all the same but you say that it throws your weeks off. I really don't understand if it is still every two weeks, you may actually get to pay one or two ahead if you want to look at it that way.
I see you guys post on a lot of different posts on here, how do you have so much to talk about? Just kidding, I am sure that I will get the hang of it sooner or later here, I just don't have a bunch of time on my hands these days. I do enjoy coming here though and at least keep up with my initial post anyway. Thank you all for answering my questions, I am just trying to figure out where to go with this, if anywhere.
I love the months that have three paychecks, it is like a bonus pay month, that is the month that I try to get a little ahead.
Funny thats what I do. It really helps. Wish it fell more often.lol
Those are the months that you can put a little back for the holidays or for some big bill that you know is coming like taxes. Mine always catch me by surprise and they are a yearly thing so it should be no surprise that they are coming at all. I just am never prepared with the whole money amount, I guess I just hate the thoughts of giving that much money away all in one clip.
seems like as my income grows, so do my bills, seems hard to get a head some times, feel like a drunk, one step forward, six steps back, LOL
Yep..That is here too. There just never seems to be any extra money. I thought once my bros racing was over that would save me $30 a week. Well then I had to start saving for taxes and Christmas so it didn't really matter in the end. With my lione of work you never know from week to week what is going on so it is really hard to try to figure anything out. I am hoping for a few more weeks but I will have to wait and see.
Every year I say I am going to start a christm,as club and then never do. It was an especially bad year for me this time so hopefully next year will be better and I can.
I have attempted a savings account and swear every year that I will not touch and low and behold I always find a reason to pull some money from it. At the end of the year there is only enough to keep the account open.
Well I didn't get that few more weeks I had wanted so oh well. I know what you mean GN. Usually they want you to open a christmas club account at this time of year.. It is the worst time for me so it doesn't happen.
Did anyone ever try out the budgeting software that comes with their computer? I must say I looked and I still like the old pen and paper better.
yeah I have seen it on my computer but I will not keep going in and entering the information when I can just pull out my tablet
Yes thats what I was doing to. My monthly payments never stay the same anyway. I guess I am a little old fashioed and still prefer the ease of pulling out the tablet instead of starting the computer,waiting for it to load, getting to the program...you know the drill.
It is the only way that I keep track.
I am not looking forward to the next few months. with all those Holidays and days off it should make the budget a tight one. what I really hate is when you have one day off and then have to work that Saturday all the overtime for the week is then shot. This always seems to be the roughest part of the year for me. December through late January you can feel all the tension.
Need another three paycheck month here lol, I have a straight work week, hubby is always on call, he goes out alot in the winter time when his machines go down. I hate it when the roads are bad, worry about him getting home okay.
I could use another paycheck per month myself. What I really wish I could do is pay off all this extra credit card and loan debt and things would sail fine then. Then once Jan. hits and the perscription co-pay is done away with it will help even more. At least I have somehting to dream about. Lets not even discuss winter roads. I live "down in" and can't even stand the thoughts of snow.
I hit ice on a bridge this morning and about lost it, I hate winter driving, it wears me out. I drive about 29 miles one way to work everyday, I think I will be using my truck alot this winter.
Makes it ahrd to want to work when weather condtions are like that. I hate the ice that you can't see. I use to get so stressed when I had to drive into work and by the time I got there it seemed as if I already put in a full days work. Winter driving beats even CREDIT CARD stress.
Just sit down at the table and write it out.
seems like a good plan there cat
i do not use any budgeting software at all as my wife is a big budgeting software for me .I know ladies (some) have a good sense of budgeting so they avoid the extra bills wherever is necessary.
As i am freelancer is not working on wages so never depend on paychecks.My wife plans all the expenses for the coming month & thus we never face any problem in terms of very serious condition. :arrow: :?:
My husband is the same way. I always told him if something happened to me he would be unwise to how the bills were paid. I baought a little black binder with inside pockets. Inside this biinder is a budget for each month and the pockets hold the bills as they come in so none is forgotten to be paid.
My ATM machine make budgeting for me (post budget) and CC stating machine moves my calculations in proper direction.
what i personally do is i keep the money at some safe place i.e. fixed deposits, website money so from where it could be really difficult for me to withdraw the amount and thus it remains there as safe.But make it a point that you keep the money only to that place where it is really " safe", otherwise it will be just doomed........... :wink: