PERSONAL BUDGET STORIES - WHAT EXPENSES HAVE YOU CUT OUT OR CHANGED IN THE LAST 2 YEARS????

How Do You Feel???

Everything has become Need over Want. I only do Starbuck's now for my occassional want and my gadgets if I have money in that account. The only debt is $19k left on my 2010 Prius.
My Budget:
Food: $75
(mostly home cooked from scratch and a garden.)

Cable/Internet: $50
(local channels only and 20mg speed..got a year special)

Netflix: $10
(download only)

Computer/Gadget:$50
(I put $50 a month away in a Credit Union so I can buy a new gadget whenever I want)

Car Payment $500
(I over pay by $35 a month. I should sell it and get a pre 1973 car, in case of an EMT)

Space Rent $575
(I went into foreclosure and moved to a mobile home 6 months ago. This includes garbage, sewer and water.)

Gas/Elect $50
(Yep, only $50! Set to 80 in summer and 68 in winter. All windows open from sunset to sunrise and anything I don't use daily, like the TV, microwave, etc, is unplugged completely.)

Clothes $5 (if that-I repair or thrift shop)

Grooming $2 (haircut every 4 months for $5)

Misc $25. (movie, music, etc, soap, bleach)
Car Ins $100
House Ins $50
iphone $80
Gas oops $75
Total $1650ish
and I'm single and really don't need anything else. Take out the car and it would be $1025ish a month. I have accumulated nice things over the years, so my trailer, which I am embracing, is very comfy. I am rich. Poor is a state of mind. If I have a book, my eyes and my health, I'm good.
I put the rest in a Roth IRA, A 6 month Rainy Day fund and a 403b. Oh, I usually spend about $25 on an extra bag of beans or rice, or coffee, for reserves. Since I'm a teacher in CA I will not be able to get Social Security. It's Obvious I'm prepping to be making very little down the road.

Wow ABS sounds like you are on the same track that so many I have heard from

What would you estimate your outgo prior to 2009???

uh...no


not paid off


actually should have been, but thats a story for another thread...I am going to end up doing a short sale and getting the hell out of here...sometimes you just have to start over

Wow ABS sounds like you are on the same track that so many I have heard from

What would you estimate your outgo prior to 2009???

I want to personally thank OP for starting this most informative thread. 5 stars and good karma for you Tx! I suppose I shouldn't be amazed at the amount of great posts here in this thread...there are some really smart people here on glp for sure! Thank you all for your contributions.

I was scared and nervous. However, I lived in an area, where homes are not selling (market's terrible there). Everything has worked out, and I am really glad I followed through with my decision. It turned out to be a good decision, in the end. :)

Great thread, btw OP :)

Cuts/changes:

My teens go to the beauty schools for hair cuts.

I go online and find coupons/coupon codes/specials/flyers for discounts and sales for everything.

I buy clothes that are on clearance and out of season. Huge savings there, when you have growing kids.

I get specials on the phone with the satellite company (where I live satellite is cheaper than cable). When the bundle pkg is ready to expire, I call and tell them I'm going to have to cancel the account, because I simply cannot afford to keep this going. They will do anything to keep you as a customer, they give me a new special/pkg every single time I've called. I get HBO and Showtime free.

look at this
[link to 12160.info]

look at this
[link to 12160.info]

look at this
[link to 12160.info]

If you can't pay for a place in 60+ years, you need to be horse whipped and thrown on the street...60 years as a slave is long enough!

look at this
[link to 12160.info]

If you can't pay for a place in 60+ years, you need to be horse whipped and thrown on the street...60 years as a slave is long enough!

I was thinking ..why is it that our elected politicians are asking for our sacrifice and yet they are the one's that are making the laws and doing the spending. Time For Them To Get Real!!!!!

Our Personal Income has been reduced by 45% -
(Due to lay off and returning for higher education)
We Have To Stick To Our Family's Budget-
We Get No Bailouts or Credit Privileges
"We Can Not Crap Money Ahead Of Time"
And We Can Not Save Large Sums Of Money That We Do Not Have Or Have Not Yet Earned.

Here is what I have already had to do What About You????


I set a weekly budget for grocery store shopping
I pre plan family meals and utilize leftovers
I have cut the over priced cell phones plan contracts
I clip coupons
I watch my water and electricity usage
I have no more credit cards
We are a cash only family
Beauty Shop and Beauty Products -Gone (with the exception of my husbands $11.00 haircut every 4 weeks)Me I volunteer at the local Beauty College to be a Test Model -Free Hair Service.
Got Rid of A $500.00 SUV payment - and replaced it with a cash $900.00 beater (14 yr old car). No Payment
We do not go to movies or other entertainment venues
Out To Eat- Is Only Reserved For Special Occasion -but that will reduce the weekly grocery budget-It is Food
Mortgage- can not do anything to reduce that one-
but I am upside down since the loan to market value is now $25k in the hole