Ideas on sticking to a Budget?

KristinaB

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Does anyone have any ideas for a family struggling to pay bills to keep to a budget?

I am finally working on one and find we are really running short and so I know I have a lot of adjustments to deal with. (cut back on groceries and GameStop and Dinner Out).

I just need some ideas to get my kids and possibly hubby to fall in line. Daughter isn't too bad (just the ice cream hunger) and son is my nightmare. Games, games, games and then he eats me out of house and home.
 
I just need some ideas to get my kids and possibly hubby to fall in line. Daughter isn't too bad (just the ice cream hunger) and son is my nightmare. Games, games, games and then he eats me out of house and home.

where is he getting the money for games and eating out?
 
Unfortunately, I can't say no, but I will from now on. It's just easier to give in tha\n dealing with his temper at times.:Oops:
 
Unfortunately, I can't say no, but I will from now on. It's just easier to give in tha\n dealing with his temper at times.:Oops:

there you go. that's how he learns it. if he gets mad, he will get what he wants. you've got to put your foot down on him because it's better than losing a house, right? or worse.
 
if he wants game so badly, he gotta to earn his allowance to buy it one...Or trade of one of his game to get another game in GameStop or bring his so-called/not play much games to sell to GameStop to get credits to buy new game. Simple as that.

Dinner out is easy to cut down, but you gotta to learn how to manage the money in your budget to meet the needs, they need to learn to accept. If they dont accept, make them go out to food shelter and see what they eating- to survival. They'll realized and learn what is the reality out there.

its nice way to educate.
 
if he wants game so badly, he gotta to earn his allowance to buy it one...Or trade of one of his game to get another game in GameStop or bring his so-called/not play much games to sell to GameStop to get credits to buy new game. Simple as that.

Dinner out is easy to cut down, but you gotta to learn how to manage the money in your budget to meet the needs, they need to learn to accept. If they dont accept, make them go out to food shelter and see what they eating- to survival. They'll realized and learn what is the reality out there.

its nice way to educate.

We do use GameStop faithfully each month. We are also planning on not eating out any longer. It's more like I need help with staying on track, but I didn't want to ask like that since some people would think I need professional help and I don't need that.
 
How old is ur son?...Old enuf to mow lawns?....That's what my boys do to earn money, even wash cars....as for the games, they go to Gamestop and trade in....only special occasions do I buy new games. We only eat out once a month.....
 
Son is 15, but he has asked around for lawn mowing and little odd things and no one will accept. Everyone in this neighborhood either does for himself or they hire a professional service. People here have to have it cut "just so", edged, weed-eatered, then everything blown off the driveway.

We generally don't spend much more than $25 at Game Stop in a month if we can help it. Sometimes it's a little more, but with our finances being the way they are, neither one of my kids gets an allowance.
 
I would try getting your son started rolling on his own economy (if possible)
The first month I would make him save his money (this is the hard part) then the following months I would make him follow his budget (hard part also jk)

Do you use a software for your budget? When I use one I use quicken for example but any will do, I generally have the budget in my head but when I stray a little I reach for my quicken :) Anyways, you could make a quicken page for him, "his own budget" and get him involved in having him putting the numbers in there so he sees where the money is going. I would give him a goal also, like let's say he wants an xbox or ps3 real bad, using a budget and getting him involved can be a way to encourage him to save money and reach for his goal(s).

Hope it helps

budget software home budget

I found some job ideas taken from here YouthRules! -* What Jobs Can Youth Do?

What Jobs Can Youth Do?

When You Are 13 Or Younger . . .

You can deliver newspapers.
You can work as a baby-sitter.
You can work as an actor or performer in motion pictures, television, theater or radio.
You can work in a business solely owned or operated by your parents.


However, parents are prohibited from employing their children in manufacturing, mining, or any other occupation declared hazardous (listed below) by the Secretary of Labor.

More information on Exemptions from Child Labor Rules.

When You Turn 14 . . .

You also can work in an:
office,
grocery store,
retail store,
restaurant,
movie theater,
baseball park,
amusement park, or
gasoline service station.

You generally may not work in:
communications or public utilities jobs,
construction or repair jobs,
driving a motor vehicle or helping a driver,
manufacturing and mining occupations,
power-driven machinery or hoisting apparatus other than typical office machines,
processing occupations,
public messenger jobs,
door-to-door sales,
sign waving,
transporting of persons or property,
workrooms where products are manufactured, mined or processed, or
warehousing and storage.

In addition, you may not work any other job or occupation declared hazardous (listed below) by the Secretary of Labor.

More information on Prohibited Occupations.

When You Turn 16 . . .

You can work in any job or occupation that has not been declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor.

Hazardous Occupations

You generally may not work in any of the following hazardous occupations:
manufacturing and storing of explosives,
driving a motor vehicle and being an outside helper on a motor vehicle;
coal mining,
forest fire fighting and prevention, timber tract management, or forestry services,
logging and sawmilling,
operating power-driven woodworking machines,
exposure to radioactive substances,
operating power-driven hoisting apparatus,
operating power-driven metal-forming, punching, and shearing machines,
mining, other than coal mining,
meat packing or processing (including the use of power-driven meat slicing machines),
power-driven bakery machines,
balers, compactors, and power-driven paper-product machines, scrap paper balers, and paper box compactors,
manufacturing brick, tile, and related products,
power-driven circular saws, band saws, guillotine shears, chain saws, reciprocative saws, wood chippers, and abrasive cutting discs,
wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking operations,
roofing operations and all work on or about a roof, or
excavation operations.

There are some exemptions for apprentice/student-learner programs in some of these hazardous occupations.

More information on Prohibited Occupations.

When You Turn 18 . . .

You can work in any job for any number of hours. The child labor rules no longer apply to you.

Different rules apply to farms, and individual States may have stricter rules. You can work on a farm owned or operated by your parents.
 
Thanks goHabsgo, No one in this town will hire any students under the age of 16 if they are not in public school and I homeschool. It will be different when we move, if we can.

Son is generally pretty good. He's not really the major issue, but can be. He does understand now what the issue is and is promising to help.

I do use Quicken, but since I also have my mother's bank accounts in, it pulls her information for the budget, so I have to do it manually in Quicken as opposed to automatic.

I think I will work on an "envelope" process regarding shopping and such. Take out cash that is alloted for the week and put it into envelopes for gas, groceries and incidentals (or something like that) and use just that each week and not go over. I think having my ATM debit card is what's really screwing me up. I tend to not think about a balance and just let the card deal with it, then the check I write bounces. Not a good thing.
 
Son is generally pretty good. He's not really the major issue, but can be. He does understand now what the issue is and is promising to help.

Glad for you that he is generally good and he understands now and promises to help, all good! :)

Besides Quicken there are some free software you could use just for him but then again the envelope process is a good idea also.

ATM can be misleading, agreed, especially with his and hers accounts, can be confusing at times not to mention the bank fees for ATM usage and bounced check fees to avoid, yep.

On the positive side you are taking matters into your own hands and getting the family involved, so, excellent! :)
 
oh wow. I haven't been able to figured out how to use Quicken :dizzy: I gave up.

I've been using Quicken since 1997. I don't use all the features, but it has made life easier. I did try Microsoft Money and it was a MAJOR joke. Not user friendly and even added and subtracted wrong. Just a lot of little "buggy" issues and back to Quicken I went. My Quicken is 2008 version, but it has what I need.
 
Unfortunately, I can't say no, but I will from now on. It's just easier to give in tha\n dealing with his temper at times.:Oops:

You're enabling your son to be a bully! And he is not going to learn how to be a responsible adult. You will never be able to save money if your son is threaten you for money . My daughter was going to rock concerts and it cost her $150 , she was spending her own money . When she was old enough to taking driving lessons she wanted me to pay for it. I told my daughter if she can afford to pay $150 to go to a rock concert she can afford to pay for her own driving lessons. And that is what she did. If really want to stick to a budget you better start sticking to your guns and tell your son the party is over and if he threaten you call 911. I would not take that that crap from my kid.
 
First I would write a detailed budget.

The key is many accounts.... (make sure they are free) I would also spread accross more than one bank.

Set up an account for house and car payments only. Then one for bills only. Then one for fun stuff. one for holidays one for vacations one for medical one for rainy day. ect ect ect

Deposit every cent that comes in based on the parameters you set in your budget. Then never borrow from one account to pay for something covered by another. You will be surprised how much money you have.
 
First I would write a detailed budget.

The key is many accounts.... (make sure they are free) I would also spread accross more than one bank.

Set up an account for house and car payments only. Then one for bills only. Then one for fun stuff. one for holidays one for vacations one for medical one for rainy day. ect ect ect

Deposit every cent that comes in based on the parameters you set in your budget. Then never borrow from one account to pay for something covered by another. You will be surprised how much money you have.

:wave:

I do the same here.

I need to set up a new account for vet expenses though..
 
You know those mason jars? Get one of those divide money for extras like extra activites jar, groceries jar, snacks/goodies jar, bills jar etc. If you pay your bills electronically through the bank than you won't have to worry bout the bills but for other stuff you use the jar every month. So, let's say you all want to go to a movie you use whatever is in the activities jar. You put a set alloted amount into the jars at the beginning of each month and if anyone wants to contribute more to the jar they can. Hope you catch my drift...i saw it on a show and the money counsellor uses it for each family she sees and it all worked well for them:)
 
Thanks everybody for the ideas. I have a bunch of those mason jars Alicia. TX Golfer, I already have 4 bank accounts, and that's part of my problem. I know for myself, I need to get back to 2, a savings and a checking. I like the idea of the mason jars that will let the family know what's there and let them contribute as they can as well. That's kind of like the envelope system that some people advocate.

I am keeping track of every single penny for August (this month) to make a realistic budget from. We have already had the talks about eating out and GameStop. Son has decided that saving money is more important and will only trade when he can and not spend any more. We did go out for lunch Tuesday, but it was my mother's treat. I am leaving my debit cards at home and the checkbooks.

Once again, thanks for all the ideas and such. I promise to learn from them. I'll let you know how it goes.
 
4 bank accts can be much esp because most have service fees attached to them.
 
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