Poll

What are your annual expenses (per adult, housing excluded)?

<5k
5 (2%)
5k - <10k
43 (16.9%)
10k - <15k
81 (31.9%)
15k - <20k
53 (20.9%)
20k - <25k
31 (12.2%)
25k - <30k
13 (5.1%)
30k - <35k
11 (4.3%)
>35k
17 (6.7%)

Total Members Voted: 240

Author Topic: POLL: What are your annual expenses (per adult, housing excluded)?  (Read 17005 times)

Mlkmn

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Re: POLL: What are your annual expenses (per adult, housing excluded)?
« Reply #50 on: February 21, 2014, 10:52:54 AM »
Wageslave, I think it might behoove you to get YNAB. www.ynab.com

If it is paper cuts killing you then you need something that focuses on the present to keep your spending under control. Get one of the smartphone apps for it if you have a smartphone and update it every single day.

I would take your monthly income, determine what you really want to spend each month on "living expenses" and then put any extra into savings/investment accounts so that you only can spend what is budgeted. Put the remainder you wanted to spend into the different categories for your daily and monthly living expenses.

You appear to need accountability.  YNAB can provide that if you allow it. 

RootofGood

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Re: POLL: What are your annual expenses (per adult, housing excluded)?
« Reply #51 on: February 21, 2014, 11:51:34 AM »
Wageslave, ever considered that costco is costing you a bundle?  We buy generic or store brand for most of those purchases and they work just as well as the name brands at costco (or costco's store brand).  For example, we buy diapers at dollar general online, use a 20% off $100+ coupon, and use a shopping portal (mrrebates) for another 3-6% off.  For $8x.xx we get 7 megasuperduper size cases of diapers.  Shipped to our doorstep.  I think I last ordered diapers in September and we have a couple cases left (unless the little guy figures out how to pee/poop in the toilet on command).  Wipes - buy on sale online or a stack of the $0.89 packs at Aldi.  It takes a little more effort to pay attention to unit prices and actual quality of the products you buy, but I figure we save hundreds per month versus shopping at costco or similar big box club store by default. 


Fletch

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Re: POLL: What are your annual expenses (per adult, housing excluded)?
« Reply #52 on: February 21, 2014, 01:06:11 PM »
I was just under 10K last year, because of additional travel and some other large purchases it will probably by 10-15k this year. Now if I could get the housing cost down I would be all set!

Christiana

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Re: POLL: What are your annual expenses (per adult, housing excluded)?
« Reply #53 on: February 21, 2014, 01:26:12 PM »
Lower end of the $5k-$10k bracket:

$2k health insurance (employer plan)
1.5k food
0.5k personal money (incl. clothing and personal care)
0.4k eating out
0.25k cat and household supplies
0.4k vacation
0.6k my spot in the clown car
0.4k gifting
0.5k charitable giving beyond tithe