Hello All:
I've posted on this forum before, but it's been a couple of years. I remember that a lot of you were able to give me suggestions that really did help. Let me just point out that since my first posts, I have bought a house and had a child. Our incomes haven't really improved. I'd say they've held steady, and possibly have declined. But that's not the point of this post. The point of this post is to help me with my spending. Keep in mind, we are a family of 3 with a house. What should we shore up on?
Mortgage: 2,700 (800 principal prepayment)
Travel: 1,487
Restaurants: 843
Child/Dependant: 827
Groceries: 661
General Merchandise: 517
Home Maintenance: 288
Personal Care: 275
Online Services: 266
Telephone/Internet: 209
Misc. Checks: 147
Utilities: 140
Taxes: 79
Clothing/shoes: 68
Entertainment: 34
Business Misc.: 11
Hobbies: 10
Healthcare/Medical: 4
Home Improvement: 4
Total: 8785.54
We contribute 36,000 annually to 401(k) and 457(b). 11,000 already contributed to Roth IRAs for 2016. 3,000 already contributed to 529 plan this year. Monthly paychecks typically add up to about 9600 after all taxes and retirement contributions, so we are living below our means, but there is vast room for improvement. Please, let me know your thoughts.