HOUSEHOLD BUDGETING FOR BEGINNERS
It’s JULY. Household budgeting time.
Half the year has gone, passed me by and I’m thinking that maybe I just slept from February to now. I vaguely recall promising myself that I would be more organised as a New Year’s resolution – meal plan, budget,… you know how it goes at ten minutes to midnight.
So, half a year down and it’s probably the right time to get myself together. I’ve got one boy in school, one in pre-school about to head to school, and baby Hero at home with me, about to dip his toes into the terrible twos this weekend. I’m 40, I should be sensible, accountable, and vaguely feel [even if I don’t look] like I know what I’m doing.
The mister had a substantial pay rise last year out of the blue [not that he doesn’t deserve it] and you know what? We seem no better off. And that’s because of me. I don’t budget, I shop carelessly and don’t think about the cost, and at the end of the month I’m trying to guess what the bank balance is.
It’s quite ridiculous really. This month going forward will be different. I have the most beautiful of budgeting books by Busy B and a weekly planner pad too [they came as a set] which make the daunting task of accounting for everything in our monthly spending quite lovely, really! My budget book is pale blue, my favourite, and very calming.
So, as I love reading about how other people manage their own household budgets, I thought being transparent on here would perhaps help someone else too – and if you’re reading this and have any suggestions, chime in.
So this month, I’m just rounding up everything that goes out and seeing where we stand. The pages in my little book make everything quite easy.
Incomings – the easy part. I have a space for regular income [husband’s wages] and other income [blogging income] in my book.
Outgoings – the sad part. Under this heading lie:
Direct Debits and Standing Orders
Other Bills
Credit Cards, Store Cards
Daily Expenditure [Groceries, etc]
I’m collecting the receipts from everything I buy and storing them in my little pocket in the book. I also do this so that I can use Receipt Hog and any other of the shopping apps that offer money back on purchases.
It’s only the 1st July and I’ve spent £6.90 today. Bread, butter, chocolate chip muffins and three ice creams from the local Co-Operative on the way home from school. This weekend is Hero’s birthday and besides his big present from me and the mister [a giant slide from Little Tikes which we got at a discount as the box was damaged!] we have tea party food to get and his cards. His big family party isn’t until August.
So, this month I’m just tracking what is going where. Next I’m going to be looking at my groceries and where ALL of that money goes [besides into my boys’ bellies].
Love this post Sara-Jayne! It is so easy to loose track of where all your money is going. My husband does most of the budgeting in my house, but I should def step my game up!
Keep in touch,
Dani
http://www.draftsandcrafts.net