considering a case study, attempting the spreadsheet but...

[Double Yu]

We're a family of 4 of moderate means (soon to be 3 if oldest kid marries her girlfriend this year) with a strange set of circumstances. I'd be interested in running a case study by you financial whizzes - less for help with decreasing expenses because I THINK we're pretty frugal (though advice is welcome)  - and more in terms of how to manage limited income in a way that generates future wealth.

I'm attempting arebelspy's spreadsheet - but there are so many categories that are not relevant that I don't even know if the spreadsheet is relevant. We basically have some income and some expenses. There's no debt but also next-to-no investment.

Is it going to be helpful to fill out the spreadsheet, even if only incompletely? Or should I just list things in a post and let you have at it?

Thanks for your help

[MDM]

Just fill in what is relevant, and leave blank what is not.  I'm not aware of anyone who has numbers for every input cell. ;)

If you use the 2016 version attached to this post, you should be able to match your 2016 tax return closely.  Doing so may help clarify what goes where.

Then the current version can be used for 2017 planning (and case study compilation).  Any questions, just ask.

[Double Yu]

Thank you MDM - also maybe I incorrectly credited arebelspy for the spreadsheet? Whoever has made and is maintaining it, thank you :D

I'm plugging numbers in and we'll see where we end up!