Website to figure out expenses/budget?

[crazed'boutmaryP]

Any good website to figure out what expenses/budget should be based on family size, income, where you live. Our monthly expenses seem so high and I'm trying to figure out how to cut some, but after going through everything and using ideas from here it doesn't seem that I can do much more. We do live in NJ so cost of living is higher than most areas and moving is not an option. Thanks for any recommendations.

 

[happily single]

Just trying to bump you. I don't have an answer but would be interested in hearing about something similiar.

I've tried just asking my neigborhood friends, but everyone does things so differently so it's hard to say. For instance, I buy snacks and foods that are budget friendly and try to use coupons; my friend and neighbor will buy those cute little 100 calorie packs of cookies for $3.99 instead of just dividing a larger (and cheaper) package.

Also, our water bills (we live 1 street apart) are ridicilously different. I shower every day and my kids average every other day; she's got 4 people taking at least 1 shower per day. Of course that affects her heat because of the hot water.

I run my dishwasher everyday whereas she doesn't have a dishwasher, so it's really difficult to figure out typical expenses for us

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

I don't know of one either but if you find one, please come back and tell us!! I'd be interested to know what it is for my area as well.

 

[crazed'boutmaryP]

Thanks for bumps. I thought a while ago someone had posted a website, but can't find it in a search. It may have not be for location, but I think definetely income related. Also lookin for what utility costs should be for our size house/size family should be. It just seems we spend way more than neighbors with similar house size and family size and I do budget shopping etc. I know if I lived in a different area our expenses would be a lot less.

Hope someone knows of the website.

 

[C_leen]

Hi-

I was on the suze orman website and I used one of her online tools to assess my budget. It gave back little comment boxes about how some of my costs were higher than average.

 

[sasywtch]

LLNOE.com is good for learning how others budget.