So here's what it looks like:
My biweekly pay should be in the neighborhood of $1650. So every month that is $3300.
Rent - $1645
Electricity/Gas - $50 (I have no idea how much this will be. My last two apartments had gas stoves and dryers, and I think everything in this apartment is electric).
Water - $25 (unknown, I've never had to pay this before, and haven't received a bill yet).
Student loans - $410 (this includes $17 extra towards my federal loans every month which will allow me to pay them off in half the time)
Cell phone - $75
Regular phone - $11
Cable tv - $14
Cable internet - $23
Food - $250 (all food, includes eating out. I expect this to be my challenge area).
Gas - $150 (This is more than 3 tanks a month, and I think that's generous given my current commute which is on foot).
Car insurance and maintence - $100 (Obviously one does not have to change the oil every month so I figure every month I don't have to do something I just deposit that money into my savings account for the time when I have a $300 service).
Renters insurance - $11
Entertainment/fitness - $55 (I think my netflix is $15 and my weight watchers is $40. I am not joining a gym here. I have a fitness center at the office and at the apartment.)
Clothing/hair/etc - $100 (Another challenge area because of the "etc.")
Automatic savings - $100.
Leftover is around $300 a month, which is not very much given my current credit card situation, but every cent counts, right? And I have one last small payment on one of my student loans. My other thought is that all additional money goes to the debt. So those two times a year you get an extra paycheck? Mostly to debt, partly to savings.
What do you think? Too optimistic? Not enough wiggle room? Somewhere I'm spending too much?
The last month has been hard and then with the moving and the inevitable purchasing that comes with moving and new job, I'm feeling like I've been spending way too much. So tonight I took my credit cards out of my wallet. I have purchased food for the week.
This week's goal: No eating out that I have to pay for except 1 lunch. No adding to my credit cards.
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1 comment:
You could always try a zero base budget. Those are fun.
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