How much money.....

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2008
How much money.....
10
Thu, 12-04-2008 - 9:47am

do you usually live on until next payday?


Once I pay bills I have between $800 and $1,000 left until next payday (usually a two week period.)


That money is for gas, groceries, "fun" (blow) money, diapers, anything else that comes up. Is that too much or a lot? How much do people usually live on for two weeks?


My dh and I both drive about an hour each way to and from work but I am part time so I use less gas then he does but we both fill up about once a week.


Groceries- I usually do a major shop once a month but normally do a small shop (meat, necessities, milk) about each week.


Just wondering if this is normal or seems like a lot to everyone.

Community Leader
Registered: 07-26-1999
Thu, 12-04-2008 - 10:09am
I think it looks fine.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
Thu, 12-04-2008 - 10:19am

There is just the two of us and we have 250.00 a week to live on for a 4 week month and less on a 5 week month 200.00


On the 5 week months I go in the hole sometimes if something big comes up. But on the 4 week month we have money left over most of the time. Not much just a few dollars a week That money I snowflake on the bills.


Guess it all depends on your life style and how many kids you have as to how much you really need to live on.


But for us to use up 500.00 a week we

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2008
Thu, 12-04-2008 - 10:23am

We sometimes have $100 or so to roll into the next pay period which I then use for bills or snowflaking. Sometimes we have $10 left until payday.


Depends on what comes up. We have two little kids. That money for two weeks includes b-day presents, etc. that comes up. My DH just needed new turtlenecks for work (uniform) and had to give someone at work $50 for those. That kinda stuff pops up that makes me fear us not leaving extra money in the "pot" or checkbook for in case things.


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2003
Thu, 12-04-2008 - 10:23am
I'm probably not one to give advice since its just me! I allow myself $20 a week for gas and $100 a week for food, entertainment, dog food etc.

Bex -

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-07-2003
Thu, 12-04-2008 - 11:31am

My numbers won't compare, as I am single with no kids/pets, but:


The short answer is $175 every 2 weeks

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

Avatar for mahopac
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-1997
Thu, 12-04-2008 - 2:12pm

I only get paid once a month, and most of my income comes from quarterly bonuses, so payday isn't really the point - budgeting is. The main thing is to figure out what you have going in or out, and is each line item reasonable.

I budget $900 a month for groceries, health & beauty aids, household items like detergent and light bulbs, pizza once a week, the bakery after church on Sunday, and so on. $900 means there is a LOT of wiggle room, and it has been far less in the past. I also budgeted for diapers and baby stuff back when I had babies, because you know what it's going to cost and you might as well be prepared for it, and it gets its own budget line. Gasoline, you know how many miles a week or how often you refill, so plan for that. And so on and so forth. If you keep track of every dime you spend for about 6 months, you'll know exactly where the fat is and where you're always falling short too.

As long as you're budgeting and sticking with the budget, then there is no "right" or "wrong" - it's going to be different for different people, depending on their circumstances, family stage, location, etc.

Kelly

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Thu, 12-04-2008 - 3:55pm

After I pay the bills I say we need

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 12-05-2008 - 6:19am

I get paid every week, and I have a big payday on the first of the month. Dh gets paid every 2 weeks. We have a fairly large balance in our checking account and pay our bills the day they arrive in the mailbox.

We both get between $40-$60 each a week for blow money.

We spend between $125-$150 each week on groceries.

We don't spend a lot on gas for our vehicles because I work at home and dh works 2 miles from home. I fill up once a month and dh puts $20 in his truck here and there. It's a bit more this time of year because he keeps our driveway plowed and he plows my mom and a couple friends of ours.

I guess we live on around $300 a week.

Sue

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2008
Fri, 12-05-2008 - 3:00pm

DH usually leaves us about $400 a week for food, gas, movie tickets, etc.

Avatar for earnhardt_jr_fan
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 12-05-2008 - 4:25pm
This varies a lot from month to month. Sometimes after all the bills are paid and groceries are bought,
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