Question for SAHM in cold climes

Anyone willing to email me their monthly budget. I cannot imagine I cannot
make these numbers work.

Here is mine with a column for current, and a column for what I think could
be workable. All the ins are just ins. I have them categorized funky. In the
"wishful thinking" category, I would be a SAHM. I would probably have to
work something outside the home a bit.


Item
Amount
Wishful thinking
Type
Comment







Stephanie Salary
846.18
200.00

less $50 to education savings direct


846.18




Tim salary
1,136.07
1,136.07




1,136.07
1,136.07




100.00
100.00




100.00
100.00



Tim salaray increase after fixing tax withholdings
520.00
520.00















Tim gas and stuff
(200.00)
(200.00)

Could this, realistically, come down?







Mortgage
(923.34)
(923.34)
fixed


Chase
(360.00)
(360.00)
fixed


Property tax escrow
(275.00)
(275.00)
fixed


Camry loan
(103.82)
0.00



Auto insurance
(70.00)
(35.00)
fixed


life insurance
(76.30)
(76.30)



Home owners insurance
(25.00)
(25.00)
fixed


Stowe loan
(138.89)
(138.89)
fixed
$5,000 over 36 months, no interest (Made an $800 payment in March)

Daycare
(513.28)
0.00















heat

???
variable


electric
(150.00)
(100.00)
variable


telephone
(60.00)
(60.00)
variable


grocery
(700.00)
(500.00)
variable


Miscellaneous household, entertainment, etc..
(200.00)
(50.00)
variable
See if these numbers can be trimmed.

Dining
(200.00)
(100.00)
variable
See if these numbers can be trimmed.

Stephanie gas and stuff
(200.00)
(50.00)



Kid's education savings

?????

Could this wait a couple of years to continue adding to?







Remaining to savings
488.87
298.61





The one thing that really is not negotiable is DH's IN. He has no interest
in finding another job that makes more money. I could go into the whys and
wherefores. But it is pretty much out of the question.

I am not good at budgetting. So anyone who wants to help. And you really do
not have to be a SAHM to see big errors in my budget!

S

Stephanie Stowe wrote:

Anyone willing to email me their monthly budget. I cannot imagine I cannot
make these numbers work.

Here is mine with a column for current, and a column for what I think could
be workable.

Maybe it's just my newsreader, but this was just a big mess o'
numbers. I couldn't figure out what was supposed to go where.

--
Sara, accompanied by the baby barnacle

"Sara" wrote in message
...
Stephanie Stowe wrote:

Anyone willing to email me their monthly budget. I cannot imagine I
cannot
make these numbers work.

Here is mine with a column for current, and a column for what I think
could
be workable.

Maybe it's just my newsreader, but this was just a big mess o'
numbers. I couldn't figure out what was supposed to go where.

--
Sara, accompanied by the baby barnacle


Hmmm. Let me think how to fix that.

Stephanie Stowe wrote:

Stephanie Salary
846.18
200.00

Tim salary
1,136.07
1,136.07

I'm guessing you figured the bills as monthly. Are the salaries every two
weeks? I hope!

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3)

"Nikki" wrote in message ...
Stephanie Stowe wrote:

Stephanie Salary
846.18
200.00

Tim salary
1,136.07
1,136.07

I'm guessing you figured the bills as monthly. Are the salaries every two
weeks? I hope!


Yes! The whole thing is visually screwed up though. I wonder if there is an approriate place to show this as an attachment? Wait I know HTML is annoying, but I cannot think of any other way to get formatting.

Item Amount Wishful thinking Type Comment

Stephanie Salary 846.18 200.00 less $50 to education savings direct
846.18
Tim salary 1,136.07 1,136.07
1,136.07 1,136.07
100.00 100.00
100.00 100.00
Tim salaray increase after fixing tax withholdings 520.00 520.00


Tim gas and stuff (200.00) (200.00) Could this, realistically, come down?

Mortgage (923.34) (923.34) fixed
Chase (360.00) (360.00) fixed
Property tax escrow (275.00) (275.00) fixed
Camry loan (103.82) 0.00
Auto insurance (70.00) (35.00) fixed
life insurance (76.30) (76.30)
Home owners insurance (25.00) (25.00) fixed
Stowe loan (138.89) (138.89) fixed $5,000 over 36 months, no interest (Made an $800 payment in March)
Daycare (513.28) 0.00


heat ??? variable
electric (150.00) (100.00) variable
telephone (60.00) (60.00) variable
grocery (700.00) (500.00) variable
Miscellaneous household, entertainment, etc.. (200.00) (50.00) variable See if these numbers can be trimmed.
Dining (200.00) (100.00) variable See if these numbers can be trimmed.
Stephanie gas and stuff (200.00) (50.00)
Kid's education savings ????? Could this wait a couple of years to continue adding to?

Remaining to savings 488.87 298.61


--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3)

Alright, here we go:

http://www.sover.net/~stowevt/budget.htm

S
"Stephanie Stowe" wrote in message
...
Anyone willing to email me their monthly budget. I cannot imagine I cannot
make these numbers work.

Here is mine with a column for current, and a column for what I think
could
be workable. All the ins are just ins. I have them categorized funky. In
the
"wishful thinking" category, I would be a SAHM. I would probably have to
work something outside the home a bit.


Item
Amount
Wishful thinking
Type
Comment







Stephanie Salary
846.18
200.00

less $50 to education savings direct


846.18




Tim salary
1,136.07
1,136.07




1,136.07
1,136.07




100.00
100.00




100.00
100.00



Tim salaray increase after fixing tax withholdings
520.00
520.00















Tim gas and stuff
(200.00)
(200.00)

Could this, realistically, come down?







Mortgage
(923.34)
(923.34)
fixed


Chase
(360.00)
(360.00)
fixed


Property tax escrow
(275.00)
(275.00)
fixed


Camry loan
(103.82)
0.00



Auto insurance
(70.00)
(35.00)
fixed


life insurance
(76.30)
(76.30)



Home owners insurance
(25.00)
(25.00)
fixed


Stowe loan
(138.89)
(138.89)
fixed
$5,000 over 36 months, no interest (Made an $800 payment in March)

Daycare
(513.28)
0.00















heat

???
variable


electric
(150.00)
(100.00)
variable


telephone
(60.00)
(60.00)
variable


grocery
(700.00)
(500.00)
variable


Miscellaneous household, entertainment, etc..
(200.00)
(50.00)
variable
See if these numbers can be trimmed.

Dining
(200.00)
(100.00)
variable
See if these numbers can be trimmed.

Stephanie gas and stuff
(200.00)
(50.00)



Kid's education savings

?????

Could this wait a couple of years to continue adding to?







Remaining to savings
488.87
298.61





The one thing that really is not negotiable is DH's IN. He has no interest
in finding another job that makes more money. I could go into the whys and
wherefores. But it is pretty much out of the question.

I am not good at budgetting. So anyone who wants to help. And you really
do
not have to be a SAHM to see big errors in my budget!

S

"Stephanie Stowe" wrote
Alright, here we go:



Stephanie, this is the third time in 5 minutes that you've posted your
complete financial details on an open, unrestricted and unmoderated group.

I don't think that's such a good idea. Maybe you could investigate how to
cancel your posts, just in case.

Jean

Stephanie,
I am a SAHM/full-time student, and we have two kids under 4. I would
like to email you off-list to discuss finances. Please email me at
krstscttyng AT sbcglobal DOT net.

--
Krista Young
Devoted wife, loving mother
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Res esse videntur velut "filia sterilis virginis sculpta in
lapide." -Candrikriti
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liberty in Our Lifetime - www.freestateproject.org
"Stephanie Stowe" wrote in message
...
Anyone willing to email me their monthly budget. I cannot imagine I cannot
make these numbers work.

Here is mine with a column for current, and a column for what I think
could
be workable. All the ins are just ins. I have them categorized funky. In
the
"wishful thinking" category, I would be a SAHM. I would probably have to
work something outside the home a bit.


Item
Amount
Wishful thinking
Type
Comment







Stephanie Salary
846.18
200.00

less $50 to education savings direct


846.18




Tim salary
1,136.07
1,136.07




1,136.07
1,136.07




100.00
100.00




100.00
100.00



Tim salaray increase after fixing tax withholdings
520.00
520.00















Tim gas and stuff
(200.00)
(200.00)

Could this, realistically, come down?







Mortgage
(923.34)
(923.34)
fixed


Chase
(360.00)
(360.00)
fixed


Property tax escrow
(275.00)
(275.00)
fixed


Camry loan
(103.82)
0.00



Auto insurance
(70.00)
(35.00)
fixed


life insurance
(76.30)
(76.30)



Home owners insurance
(25.00)
(25.00)
fixed


Stowe loan
(138.89)
(138.89)
fixed
$5,000 over 36 months, no interest (Made an $800 payment in March)

Daycare
(513.28)
0.00















heat

???
variable


electric
(150.00)
(100.00)
variable


telephone
(60.00)
(60.00)
variable


grocery
(700.00)
(500.00)
variable


Miscellaneous household, entertainment, etc..
(200.00)
(50.00)
variable
See if these numbers can be trimmed.

Dining
(200.00)
(100.00)
variable
See if these numbers can be trimmed.

Stephanie gas and stuff
(200.00)
(50.00)



Kid's education savings

?????

Could this wait a couple of years to continue adding to?







Remaining to savings
488.87
298.61





The one thing that really is not negotiable is DH's IN. He has no interest
in finding another job that makes more money. I could go into the whys and
wherefores. But it is pretty much out of the question.

I am not good at budgetting. So anyone who wants to help. And you really
do
not have to be a SAHM to see big errors in my budget!

S

Stephanie Stowe wrote:


On just one point:

Are you in the U.S.? If so, I would think going from $700 to
$500 a month for groceries would very doable. Less so if you mean
Canadian or Australian $$. It also makes a difference if you live in a
place without access to big, comprehensive grocery stores - smaller
stores generally have higher prices, IME.

By comparison, I spend $500-$600 at the grocery store every month (not
just groceries; that includes disposable diapers, shampoo, laundry
detergent, toothpaste, flashlight batteries, etc. - anything I buy at
the grocery store.) And I don't make any huge effort to be frugal - I
definitely could spend less; the folks over at
mis.consumers.frugal-living would probably consider $500 a month for
groceries to be wanton free-spending.

My household includes 2 adults, a 7-year-old, and a 2-year-old (who eats
about as much as the 7-year-old.)
If I had a couple of ravenous teenagers, though, I'd have to spend more.

Clisby

In article ,
"Stephanie Stowe" wrote:

I am not good at budgetting. So anyone who wants to help. And you really do
not have to be a SAHM to see big errors in my budget!

Stephanie, there are books at your local library that show you how to do this
(look in the 332s). The easiest way for me was to write down everything I
spent in a notebook for 3 months, then, when looking into our paid bills pile,
I had a pretty good idea of what we were spending per annum, and where to cut
back (if necessary). You will need this *before* you see a financial planner.

You might want to subscribe to misc.consumers.frugal-living, or look up
frugality sites on the web.

The difficulty with being a SAHM is in the opportunity cost -- ie, if you want
to be one, you may have to give up some other things. Depending on your
income, you might just be foregoing overseas trips, or you might be foregoing
a comfortable retirement. You will almost certainly be foregoing career
progression for a long time -- though I understand Australia is worse than
North America in this area.

HTH,

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Life is like a cigarette -- smoke it to the butt." -- Harvie Krumpet