Anyone else afraid to look at their budget at month end?

[Princesca]

I always start out the month with 'THIS will FINALLY be the month we'll have a good month, no surprises, and we'll keep to the budget.'

By month end I'm like, 'I'm just not going to look at it. We'll start over next month.'

 

[barkley]

not usually but with the rising cost of groceries i've decided to make that budget item more flexible to avail myself of GOOD sales on non perishables and stock up so that ideally going over budget several months will balance out in savings in the long run. i can't believe how stuff is going up in price-things i paid full for around $1/ 88 cents for on sale are now $1.25 on sale. yesterday i went into a store and an item that was about $2.50 each last year, $3.50 now was on an unadvertised sale for 2 for $4. did i stock up? YES, 24 containers (8 of 3 different types). i didn't plan on spending an extra $48 bu it will save me for the remainder of the year. same with a sale on an item at costco-previously 25 cents per unit at the store/now 50 cents per unit so when it was on sale for 33 cents per unit i bought 2 of the 24 packs.

it all adds up to savings over time.

 

[DLgal]

I stopped using a budget when I realized that it's the same as dieting. It's impossible to stick with and when you cut back too much, you just overcompensate later by way too much.

 

[Princesca]

not usually but with the rising cost of groceries i've decided to make that budget item more flexible to avail myself of GOOD sales on non perishables and stock up so that ideally going over budget several months will balance out in savings in the long run. i can't believe how stuff is going up in price-things i paid full for around $1/ 88 cents for on sale are now $1.25 on sale. yesterday i went into a store and an item that was about $2.50 each last year, $3.50 now was on an unadvertised sale for 2 for $4. did i stock up? YES, 24 containers (8 of 3 different types). i didn't plan on spending an extra $48 bu it will save me for the remainder of the year. same with a sale on an item at costco-previously 25 cents per unit at the store/now 50 cents per unit so when it was on sale for 33 cents per unit i bought 2 of the 24 packs.

it all adds up to savings over time.

I allow wiggle room in our grocery budget for this reason, as long as we're diligent and don't max our budget out every month just because we can. Honestly, though, our grocery budget is set too low. I'm just really sad to bite the bullet and increase it.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Nope. I'm a simple person with minimal needs. I generally buy what I want when I need it, and stock up when it goes on sale. I'm a patient person and I've often found that that is rewarded.

 

[tvguy]

Nope. I'm a simple person with minimal needs. I generally buy what I want when I need it, and stock up when it goes on sale. I'm a patient person and I've often found that that is rewarded.

My thoughts too.

 

[Darcy03231]

It's just DH and I now and we gave up on budgeting a long time ago. We stock up when things are on sale and meal plan around what's on sale that week and what we already have on hand.

 

[jo-jo]

not usually but with the rising cost of groceries i've decided to make that budget item more flexible to avail myself of GOOD sales on non perishables and stock up so that ideally going over budget several months will balance out in savings in the long run. i can't believe how stuff is going up in price-things i paid full for around $1/ 88 cents for on sale are now $1.25 on sale. yesterday i went into a store and an item that was about $2.50 each last year, $3.50 now was on an unadvertised sale for 2 for $4. did i stock up? YES, 24 containers (8 of 3 different types). i didn't plan on spending an extra $48 bu it will save me for the remainder of the year. same with a sale on an item at costco-previously 25 cents per unit at the store/now 50 cents per unit so when it was on sale for 33 cents per unit i bought 2 of the 24 packs.

it all adds up to savings over time.

I had some rainchecks from a grocery store...Almost two months old. I didn't need the item but on Wednesday seniors get 5% off and Discover had 5% off this quarter.

Paper plates, sale was 1/2 price at 1.39, so $2.80....except shelf price is now $3.20. Fifty cents in 2 months.

edited....math was wrong, ONLY 40 cents in two months , now I feel better.

But also to add prices rising, it 's not a few cents here and there. You buy X for $2 and the next week it could be $2.50. One store by us is selling chuck roast for $8 a pound. I bought it on sale at an other store for only $4.89 a pound minus the discounts.

 

[barkley]

I had some rainchecks from a grocery store...Almost two months old. I didn't need the item but on Wednesday seniors get 5% off and Discover had 5% off this quarter.

Paper plates, sale was 1/2 price at 1.39, so $2.80....except shelf price is now $3.20. Fifty cents in 2 months.

both the walmart and fred meyers websites keep a long term history of both in store and online purchases so it's pretty apparent when i go on their sites to see how steep the recent price increases have been-one frozen food item has gone up since october from $2.98 to $4.68, mayo up by $1.12, diet coke from $3.88 to $4.98, oscar mayer sliced turkey-$5.76 to $8.63 (glad i'm past the days of packing school lunches), manwich from 88 cents to $1.22. just crazy.

 

[punkin]

The inflation is really worrisome. I spent $300 at Costco last week and didn't even get everything I wanted (no aluminum pans) and no meat at all. Just last year, an equivalent shop would have cost under $200.

 

[barkley]

The inflation is really worrisome. I spent $300 at Costco last week and didn't even get everything I wanted (no aluminum pans) and no meat at all. Just last year, an equivalent shop would have cost under $200.

not sure what kind of aluminum pans you're looking for but i get mine strictly at the dollar store. even if i have to double one it ends up costing me less.

 

[lsutigers03]

I have two kids in private school so I dread looking at our finances every month. With the increase in everything lately I need to sit down with DW and hammer out a budget that we stick to.

 

[Princesca]

OTOH, the first day of the month is always my favorite. For this day and this day only, NO SPENDING on our budget spreadsheet! Too bad it never lasts. Though I guess if we weren't spending anything at all we'd probably be dead, and that would be no bueno.

 

[RamblingMad]

My expectation right now is that food and gas costs more, so it takes a bigger chunk out of my budget. What I look at is what's left over, not the components. My savings grow my net worth.

 

[punkin]

not sure what kind of aluminum pans you're looking for but i get mine strictly at the dollar store. even if i have to double one it ends up costing me less.

I get the half sized "steamer pans." I can check out the dollar store, but those prices have gone up too. Everything is $1.25!

 

[disney212]

I always start out the month with 'THIS will FINALLY be the month we'll have a good month, no surprises, and we'll keep to the budget.'

By month end I'm like, 'I'm just not going to look at it. We'll start over next month.'

For us it's the opposite. I will say I've worked in finance for years. I've used a budget since I was a teen. I use a spreadsheet and keep a 5 year budget at minimum. It changes but being able to see the entire year on 1 page allows me to see what I can change it something happens. I always up my costs years at least 3%, more like 8% for yearly taxes, insurance, car tags and stuff I only pay once a year. When my DH was laid off during the pandemic I was able to moved and adjust so although it wasn't easy we made it through without our savings being depleted, we only had to use a little. I think a budget is great but must be realistic. Mine has not only bills but vacation, haircuts, holiday spending, house spending, grocery costs, date nights, etc. It's a complete accurate look at our financial picture. Growing up watching my parents struggle due to not properly planning really impacted me. At this point it's comforting to me to know I can adjust, tweek, add, subtract what I need to. I will also say that a a lower middle income family we live much larger than most folks in our income bracket and our retirement savings are great. I have a DD who is a planner like me and a DS who isn't. I think it's the way we were born. My DD says she is going to put my favorite saying on my tombstone, "people don't plan to fail, they fail to plan". It's all about doing what works for you.

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[pigletto]

For us it's the opposite. I will say I've worked in finance for years. I've used a budget since I was a teen. I use a spreadsheet and keep a 5 year budget at minimum. It changes but being able to see the entire year on 1 page allows me to see what I can change it something happens. I always up my costs years at least 3%, more like 8% for yearly taxes, insurance, car tags and stuff I only pay once a year. When my DH was laid off during the pandemic I was able to moved and adjust so although it wasn't easy we made it through without our savings being depleted, we only had to use a little. I think a budget is great but must be realistic. Mine has not only bills but vacation, haircuts, holiday spending, house spending, grocery costs, date nights, etc. It's a complete accurate look at our financial picture. Growing up watching my parents struggle due to not properly planning really impacted me. At this point it's comforting to me to know I can adjust, tweek, add, subtract what I need to. I will also say that a a lower middle income family we live much larger than most folks in our income bracket and our retirement savings are great. I have a DD who is a planner like me and a DS who isn't. I think it's the way we were born. My DD says she is going to put my favorite saying on my tombstone, "people don't plan to fail, they fail to plan". It's all about doing what works for you.

I can very much relate to this post. I had to learn to budget but I can honestly say I enjoy it and it takes very little time. I use a zero based budgeting system and assign everything a category and tweak if needed.

But I will say that almost all of my categories have gone up and it’s really disheartening to increase them all. Inevitably that just takes money away from our goals and wants and its not fun to be getting less for my money.

 

[Princesca]

I can very much relate to this post. I had to learn to budget but I can honestly say I enjoy it and it takes very little time. I use a zero based budgeting system and assign everything a category and tweak if needed.

But I will say that almost all of my categories have gone up and it’s really disheartening to increase them all. Inevitably that just takes money away from our goals and wants and its not fun to be getting less for my money.

Same. If you are making a fair bit more than expenses, your budget doesn't have quite the same import as someone who relies on their budget to survive IMO. It hurts to see these categories going up, knowing my salary is going up probably 3% at best.

 

[barkley]

Same. If you are making a fair bit more than expenses, your budget doesn't have quite the same import as someone who relies on their budget to survive IMO. It hurts to see these categories going up, knowing my salary is going up probably 3% at best.

so true. my oldest's employer in a bid to improve employee retention increased wages by 10%. thing is-on average, rents in our area for a lease renewal have increased by 29% (and landlords are quick to point out that if you don't want to renew they are fine with it b/c they can increase it much more for a new resident). combine the rent increases, gas increases, groceries....pretty significant increase in the cost of living.