Comments on: Sunday gathering – How's your budget? http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2009/05/how-is-your-budget/ Proverbs 13:11 - "...he who gathers money little by little makes it grow." Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:41:21 -0400 hourly 1 By: Gina http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2009/05/how-is-your-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-9968 Gina Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:26:45 +0000 http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/?p=1637#comment-9968 Did you start? Yes - we actually started in January and I've been good at keeping up w/it. Did you make it the full 30 days? Yes - only b/c I had a few months to 'practice'. The first time I tried a budget, I had the exact same experience Kim did - our "murphy" issues came in May (2008) too - dishwasher broke, garage door broke, $1k worth of car repairs and new $3k AC condenser. We had planned for the AC but didn't plan on the other items. I didn't revisit my budget until Jan 2009. What things did you learn? I do better w/a once a month update. If I 'tweak' it every day/every wk I get consumed w/the smallest of details and loose focus. Did you get it right? Only after the 2nd try. Did you use my excel budget spreadsheet? Did you use software such as You Need a Budget? I use an excel spreadsheet. I'm thinking about trying YNAB, after reading about Linda's experience above. Thanks for the challenge! Did you start? Yes – we actually started in January and I’ve been good at keeping up w/it.

Did you make it the full 30 days? Yes – only b/c I had a few months to ‘practice’. The first time I tried a budget, I had the exact same experience Kim did – our “murphy” issues came in May (2008) too – dishwasher broke, garage door broke, $1k worth of car repairs and new $3k AC condenser. We had planned for the AC but didn’t plan on the other items. I didn’t revisit my budget until Jan 2009.

What things did you learn? I do better w/a once a month update. If I ‘tweak’ it every day/every wk I get consumed w/the smallest of details and loose focus.

Did you get it right? Only after the 2nd try.

Did you use my excel budget spreadsheet? Did you use software such as You Need a Budget? I use an excel spreadsheet. I’m thinking about trying YNAB, after reading about Linda’s experience above.

Thanks for the challenge!

]]> By: Miranda http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2009/05/how-is-your-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-9967 Miranda Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:36:33 +0000 http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/?p=1637#comment-9967 We've been living on a budget so that we can put in a yard this summer. It's been working out well. We've managed to make payments as the work progresses, and not strain our finances. I'd like to be entered in the App giveaway contest as well. I would use the Pay Off Debt app to track my mortgage and my car loan. We’ve been living on a budget so that we can put in a yard this summer. It’s been working out well. We’ve managed to make payments as the work progresses, and not strain our finances.

I’d like to be entered in the App giveaway contest as well. I would use the Pay Off Debt app to track my mortgage and my car loan.

]]> By: Kim http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2009/05/how-is-your-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-9972 Kim Sun, 31 May 2009 20:48:52 +0000 http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/?p=1637#comment-9972 It was a complete disaster! I haven't had a month that bad in years! * Did you start? ~Yes * Did you make it the full 30 days? ~I budgeted the whole month but I didn't make it inside the budget. If not, what stopped you? ~too many things came up. Birthday's, weddings, graduations, and the most unexpected, brakes and shocks on the car. Who knew you could actually blow out your shocks! Thank goodness for Emergency Savings. * What things did you learn? ~I learned so much and totally revamped the budget spread sheet I used. Such as not budgeting for the month but in 2 week chunks to fit in with the paychecks, and not just use the cash in the envelopes but MAKE SURE TO WRITE IT DOWN on the envelope. I know, I know they all tell you too but I forget one, then another, it just got away from me. * Did you get it right? ~Not even close but I'm really psyched for getting it right in June. * Did you use my excel budget spreadsheet? ~Did you use software such as You Need a Budget? ~I had a system that I had been using to track spending so I used that to make the budget....obviously didn't work, but if nothing else the month got me a GREAT jumping off point for the future of my budgeting. Now with this new budget I will get a month ahead with my bill in about 6 months! Even though this months budget was a disaster I'm grateful I did it. :) It was a complete disaster! I haven’t had a month that bad in years!
* Did you start? ~Yes
* Did you make it the full 30 days? ~I budgeted the whole month but I didn’t make it inside the budget. If not, what stopped you? ~too many things came up. Birthday’s, weddings, graduations, and the most unexpected, brakes and shocks on the car. Who knew you could actually blow out your shocks! Thank goodness for Emergency Savings.
* What things did you learn? ~I learned so much and totally revamped the budget spread sheet I used. Such as not budgeting for the month but in 2 week chunks to fit in with the paychecks, and not just use the cash in the envelopes but MAKE SURE TO WRITE IT DOWN on the envelope. I know, I know they all tell you too but I forget one, then another, it just got away from me.
* Did you get it right? ~Not even close but I’m really psyched for getting it right in June.
* Did you use my excel budget spreadsheet? ~Did you use software such as You Need a Budget? ~I had a system that I had been using to track spending so I used that to make the budget….obviously didn’t work, but if nothing else the month got me a GREAT jumping off point for the future of my budgeting.

Now with this new budget I will get a month ahead with my bill in about 6 months! Even though this months budget was a disaster I’m grateful I did it. :)

]]> By: Bobbi http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2009/05/how-is-your-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-9971 Bobbi Sun, 31 May 2009 16:38:53 +0000 http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/?p=1637#comment-9971 I was in on the challenge and it worked out well for me. I received 5 pay checks this month but also had a Mother's day weekend planned in SC. I budgeted for that so I did well. Even had a little $ left over to play with next month. I used the YNAB software. :) I am going to try the "no spend summer" that Living Well on Less is doing. I will do this for June & July, but have a big week planned in August with family coming in. :) Thanks for the challenge(s). I was in on the challenge and it worked out well for me. I received 5 pay checks this month but also had a Mother’s day weekend planned in SC. I budgeted for that so I did well. Even had a little $ left over to play with next month. I used the YNAB software. :) I am going to try the “no spend summer” that Living Well on Less is doing. I will do this for June & July, but have a big week planned in August with family coming in. :) Thanks for the challenge(s).

]]> By: Linda Jacobsen http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2009/05/how-is-your-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-9969 Linda Jacobsen Sun, 31 May 2009 16:36:36 +0000 http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/?p=1637#comment-9969 As the most recent winner of the YNAB program, I immediately entered all receipts for the month of May and let me tell you, what an eye-opener. It's so easy to see exactly where we are spending too much and what definitely needs to be trimmed. We have a ways to go before our budget looks the way it should. I get a two thumbs up for making a budget and a two thumbs down for not being able to live with it. Thanks for the help! As the most recent winner of the YNAB program, I immediately entered all receipts for the month of May and let me tell you, what an eye-opener. It’s so easy to see exactly where we are spending too much and what definitely needs to be trimmed. We have a ways to go before our budget looks the way it should. I get a two thumbs up for making a budget and a two thumbs down for not being able to live with it. Thanks for the help!

]]> By: Frugal Dad http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2009/05/how-is-your-budget/comment-page-1/#comment-9970 Frugal Dad Sun, 31 May 2009 14:38:56 +0000 http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/?p=1637#comment-9970 Thanks for sharing my post in the gathering! And if we do decide to head to the mountains, I'll definitely "give you a holler." Thanks for sharing my post in the gathering! And if we do decide to head to the mountains, I’ll definitely “give you a holler.”

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