It's hard to STICK to a budget!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
It's hard to STICK to a budget!
8
Wed, 11-12-2008 - 1:43pm

We started this whole budget thing 3 weeks ago. It took a lot of work and effort to go through the bills and really try to figure out where we were going wrong. We decided that going out to eat and entertainment costs were the 2 easiest places to save money. So I started making grocery lists and planning every dinner and lunch. We didn't go out to eat at all the first week, maybe once the second week and then this week I didn't plan a menu and we've already ordered pizza once and gone to burger king another night. It's the 3rd week and I'm overwhelmed again with our budget. I feel like we've blown it this week and I'm starting to get nervous about the remainder of my bills this month. All the cash for this week is gone and I can't account for 30 dollars of it. So frustrating! My husband has already gone out to eat for lunch 2 times in the past 2 weeks

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Wed, 11-12-2008 - 2:14pm

Bless your heart Abbie, I've been there and I'm stilling struggling also.

Norma


"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus


iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2008
Wed, 11-12-2008 - 2:25pm

Hugs to you Abbie.


Finances is like a diet. We all KNOW what we SHOULD do but sometimes its just really, really hard.


I have finally mastered the whole eating out at lunchtime thing and not ordering out for supper. But it took a while so stick with it. If you or your dh was eating out a lot its habit now. What you need to focus on is changing that habit. And you ARE but it takes time and slip ups.


The baby shower gifts can be done pretty cheap. Get them a blanket or something at Walmart. They are $10 and they are good as gold. In this economy people can't expect $200 strollers anymore and if they do then that must come from someone else. Not us.



Hugs to you and remember that Christmas is what you make it - not always about the gifts.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-03-2006
Wed, 11-12-2008 - 2:59pm
Well, first of all Happy Birthday! As far as your husbands spending, I've been dealing with the same thing. I have been working on sticking to a budget since January but DH for some reason kept spending money on unneccesary things, such as fast food. But recently he has been a good boy, lol. It will take a couple of months for him to get used to it if he's anything like my DH. Good luck.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-07-2003
Wed, 11-12-2008 - 3:33pm

Happy Birthday!


and hugs to you... I just turned 30 last week. :)


Teresa
http://www.affordingpickles.blogspot.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
Wed, 11-12-2008 - 4:31pm

First Happy Birthday


I think you maybe setting yourself up for a fall. You are trying to change habits of a long time over night. It doesn't work that way if you except to stay with it.


One your husband likes to eat out for lunch So sit him down don't yell at him just ask him what day in a week would he like to eat

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-12-2007
Wed, 11-12-2008 - 6:47pm

Happy Birthday, Abbie!


When it rains, it pours, doesn't it?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2006
Wed, 11-12-2008 - 7:08pm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We recently started a budget too -- and it is hard. Especially if, like us, you've lived for years without one. The "budget" I'd been looking at on paper for months was a joke - it wasn't until I really tracked what we spent that I had any idea how we were truly wasting money.

As far as DH, my DH is the same way about lunches, etc. I try to pick my battles. Once every few weeks he wants (and needs!) to go out with his work buddies or brothers for a couple beers. I get that. And he understands that doesn't mean steak dinners or rounds for everyone. Because I respect that, he respects *most* of the limits I have otherwise. :-) I know nagging and getting on him will get me nowhere. He deserves $15 every couple weeks to just spend -- so do I. I had to get off my high horse when we started and admit that we're in the hole and it'll take us time to dig, dig, dig out. That's hard. We've certainly been stupid in the past. But our resolve is there now to do better. It doesn't help if we're both miserable and deprived in the meantime.

Just hang in there and know that tomorrow is another day. We're all in it with you!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-1998
Thu, 11-13-2008 - 4:36pm

Happy belated birthday.

As for buying gifts for baby showers what about giving the parents a babysitting certificate? I have done that when $$ is tight, I do up a nice little card that they can redeem for babysitting or something similar.

Sharon