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 I don't want to screw up!
Posts: 3881
    
Location: North Dakota -> Colorado | I finally decided I should start "adulting" better and get on top of my budgeting. What are some apps/tips/resources you guys have used with some success? |
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 Stinky Cat Owner
Posts: 4097
Location: Oregon | I love both Dave Ramsey and Clark Howard - lots of books, website info, etc. |
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Expert
Posts: 1280
Location: Texas | ^^^yep, what she said
It's a great place to start. Right now. today. Start writing down EVERY PENNY that you spend. Just start with that. Then go to the Dave Ramsey website and or pick up his book(s) somewhere (free or used). |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 338
Location: NE TX | Dave Ramsey is supposed to help a lot. I haven't looked into it but I know a lot of people who have had success.
I personally sit down and write everything down I'm planning on spending my upcoming two checks on. I write everything down (barrel races, barn rent, horse feed, truck loan payment, credit card payment, money I want to put up for savings, gas, food, monthly donations I make). I try to stick to that best I can and leave a cushion at the end of each check in case something comes up. Every two weeks I sit down and plan the next month out (I get paid every two weeks), I make sure the next two weeks is still on track to be what I thought it would be and plan the two weeks after that. It has helped me a lot.. I go through tons of sticky notes that way, but it helps me.
I also plan my barrel races I plan to attend months in advance so I can add them to my budget.
You can also search for a local financial advisor that can sit down with you and look at your budget and help you plan.
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | Not really budgeting but I do a few things to help me save money.
1) I have an actual change jar. ALL my loose change goes in there, along with an $1 bills I get. Occasionally if I get extra money like for house sitting for someone, I will put it in there. I use it towards entry fees. Last year almost every race I entered was just from that.
2) I have an account at the credit union my car loan is through. I don't have a debit card attached to it. Any BIG extra money I get (for example I just sold a trailer so I put $500 of it in there) I put in there and I try to add at least $20 from every paycheck. I don't make very much so that's all I can afford. But I'm lazy and I know I won't go there to withdraw money from it.
3) I try really hard to not use my credit card. pretty much the only thing on there is vet bills and I pay it off fast.
Edited by livexlovexrodeo 2017-10-27 1:51 PM
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
| Great advice already given!! I agree, very important to write down and keep a list of every penny you spend...I guarantee you'll be surprised at where and how fast money is going out! I know I was haha. My biggest issue was groceries, because I can really eat! I started looking on Pinterest for preparing meals ahead, that helped a lot! I would just pretty much buy frozen veggies (much cheaper than canned) and meat. Then on Sunday I would cook up a ton of veggies and meat, and pack meals for everyday that week. That really helped me save on food. Also, I stopped buying unnecessary things for my horses...that was hard too haha. Just the bare minimum of what I needed. No more adding supplements that I "just wanted to try". My horses all look very good and do not need anymore supps, but for some reason I kept buying them ;p This is just a few things that worked for me =] Hope this helps! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| Katielovestbs - 2017-10-27 11:37 AM
Great advice already given!! I agree, very important to write down and keep a list of every penny you spend...I guarantee you'll be surprised at where and how fast money is going out! I know I was haha. My biggest issue was groceries, because I can really eat! I started looking on Pinterest for preparing meals ahead, that helped a lot! I would just pretty much buy frozen veggies (much cheaper than canned) and meat. Then on Sunday I would cook up a ton of veggies and meat, and pack meals for everyday that week. That really helped me save on food. Also, I stopped buying unnecessary things for my horses...that was hard too haha. Just the bare minimum of what I needed. No more adding supplements that I "just wanted to try". My horses all look very good and do not need anymore supps, but for some reason I kept buying them ;p This is just a few things that worked for me =] Hope this helps!
I am a meal prepper, too, and it saves a LOT. We plan our weekly dinners, and I prepe everyone's lunches for the week on Sunday. There is none of the "what's for dinner? I dunno...let's just go out to ____ tonight." Also, it saves time knowing that I don't have to go home and cut vegetables or something and have an extra 20 minutes with the horses. 
Usually we buy meat in bulk so we just freeze and then thaw for the following week...so money saved!
Good luck with this...sounds like you have some great resources so far. |
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Veteran
Posts: 155
| My parents always told me that when you get a raise, or a better job where you make more money, live on your old salary and bank the difference! |
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 Warrior Mom
Posts: 4400
| I've done the Dave Ramsey thing off and on... I have started making a better budget for us... we are in the process of getting a few things paid off, then snowballing whatever we paid off onto the next thing. It works.. one thing that always stuck out in my head was to "Tell your money where to go, or it'll go".. meaning I take money from each check each week and pay bills, if we've got extra leftover, great.. if not, too bad, no eating out that weekend. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| I get paid once a month. I pay all of the essentials when I get paid. I take out whatever I put in savings. I buy my staples for the month. I divide the rest by four. That is the amount that I have to spend each week for groceries or entry fees, church or whatever takes place that week. I have done this for 40 years. It takes a little getting used to but does work and you are not wondering how you are going to eat at the end of the month. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| If you have direct deposit set it up so x goes into savings each paycheck. You learn to not miss it if it’s not in the checking account.
I have an excel spreadsheet mapping out the next 6 months or so by week (husband gets paid weekly I get paid 2x’s month). The next month is the most accurate but being 6mos out allows us to realize things like vehicle tags, property taxes, or annual operating more payments coming at us. I can estimate pretty good what we’ll spend in fuel and groceries.
I’d love to say we were comfortable with where we are at, and I guess I should say we’ve done a decent job staying on top of things, just bought a colt, spent a ton on building materials to finish our shop and kitchen renovations, and then I hit a deer resulting in $1500 we weren’t planning on spending... so we’re doggy paddling paycheck to paycheck again, but we’re not putting stuff on the credit card so there’s that. |
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 Three in a Bikini
Posts: 2035
| Lots of helpful tips already.
Some things I do that have helped us over time:
1. I make my own laundry detergent. The materials cost about $20 and last me an entire year.
2. I make freezer meals in bulk. I can get about 40 dinner meals on $200.
3. I track all of our spending in an excel spread sheet. Every month I update the numbers, and then quarterly my husband and I review where we are at and if improvements are needed.
Last note- Credit cards are not the devil. Just make sure you pay them in full every month. For example, I put everything I can on my Discover card. There is no annual fee and I get money back for each purchase. At the end of the year I take that rebate and use it for Christmas shopping. WIN/WIN
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
Location: OH. IO | Kry5ta1 - 2017-10-29 6:01 PM
Lots of helpful tips already.
Some things I do that have helped us over time:
1. I make my own laundry detergent. The materials cost about $20 and last me an entire year.
2. I make freezer meals in bulk. I can get about 40 dinner meals on $200.
3. I track all of our spending in an excel spread sheet. Every month I update the numbers, and then quarterly my husband and I review where we are at and if improvements are needed.
Last note- Credit cards are not the devil. Just make sure you pay them in full every month. For example, I put everything I can on my Discover card. There is no annual fee and I get money back for each purchase. At the end of the year I take that rebate and use it for Christmas shopping. WIN/WIN
Tell me about your laundry soap:) |
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Expert
Posts: 1409
Location: Oklahoma | jake16 - 2017-10-29 7:46 PM
Kry5ta1 - 2017-10-29 6:01 PM
Lots of helpful tips already.
Some things I do that have helped us over time:
1. I make my own laundry detergent. The materials cost about $20 and last me an entire year.
2. I make freezer meals in bulk. I can get about 40 dinner meals on $200.
3. I track all of our spending in an excel spread sheet. Every month I update the numbers, and then quarterly my husband and I review where we are at and if improvements are needed.
Last note- Credit cards are not the devil. Just make sure you pay them in full every month. For example, I put everything I can on my Discover card. There is no annual fee and I get money back for each purchase. At the end of the year I take that rebate and use it for Christmas shopping. WIN/WIN
Tell me about your laundry soap: )
Yes please bout the laundry soap. I tried a couple years back but it didn't seem to clean all that great. and now I have a front loader and cannot use powder has to be liquid (which that's the kind I made) so very curious your recipe! thanks |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 972
Location: Texas! | I use the Mint app and it's worked well for me to track my spending and set budgets as well as see my spending in certain areas over time. I could be better about my budget but I don't fret if I go slightly over in my food budget for that month etc. |
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