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

AnyMore Budget Stories?????

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.

You're so near to cooking, that you might as well stop buying the shit in the can and make it all from scratch. Cheaper and healthier. Campbell soup= MSG

Brief:
I could pay off my house but it would take about every cent I have - my rate is only 3% and I'm earning more than that on my investment so I'm keeping the mortgage for now - do you agree? The house is the only debt I have.

food?

So you bought a cabin??????

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.

Excellent post op!!

1. Turned my entire yard into an urban garden... have been growing all my own veggies and dehydrating/putting the extra up for winter.
2. I also have a weekly budget for groceries and got into 'extreme couponing' couponmom.com is an excellent site.
3. Pretty much the same as you on the electricity/water/cc
4. catch rainwater in empty barrels to water garden
5. I do my own hair now
6. cook all our meals, no more going out to eat
7. instead of going out to dinner with friends, I have been hosting potlucks. It's much more personal, fun, and no babysitter required.
8. Walk or ride bike anywhere within a mile or so of the house- limit my gas consumption on my automobile
9. Sew/repair clothing, utilizing hand me downs, and garage sales instead of shopping online/in the stores.
10. Cut up old t shirts and clothes for rags, instead of spending money on paper towels to clean house
11. I make my own cleaning supplies using vinegar, etc

quit smoking pot.using my house to produce income.Riding my bike to places rather then drive a car.when I do drive a car,ford focus.highways,over 34 mph depending on conditions.Getting things in order financially as best I can.But money is money.Health and a balanced life full of love is good.Losing fear ego and anger ect.to deep to go into

I have a freezer zip lock bag...it takes the skins of all my onions, garlic, cucumbers, potatoes, celery hearts, chicken bones after I am done eating them...anything that will work in a soup broth. When the bag is full, I drop them in a pot with pepper corns, salt and a couple bay leaves. Boil/simmer, then drain...let it cool, skim off the fat and pour into different size tupperwares to use for soup or stalk for rice, etc and freeze them.

How do you use your house to produce income??

I must say, abs, you have done well! I am impressed with every one of your posts on this thread. Way to go!

How do you use your house to produce income??

the mortgage

Really ??? You got the Mortgage Paid Off??

That is a blessing!!!

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.

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

I live in a resort area.Pocono pa on the east coast.Its has a inlaw apartment which I rent out.Many people from all over the world visit this area.So I joined a house sharing site via a place I saw on face book for cyclists.basically they pay 100 dollars a day to share your home and ride the big hills.The Pocono Pa area of Pennsylvania is a tourist town.I have a home that can accomadate people.Kinda like a bed and breakfast,I am in the early stages of this

pretty sure he grows the weed in the basement now...since he no longer smokes it, all profit baby!!!!

Pay it off! Anything you safe after that means you could be a little bit more aggressive.

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

Four years ago, my home was worth way more than I owed. Today? I'm upside down by 35K, because of the market. I left my home last month after it was on the market for 3 years. I relocated and started over.

Its getting tough for me too.

When i retired I paid off my mortgage (phew) Owning the roof over my head was a priority.

I have a pretty small income, getting smaller by the day.

I have savings to cover my regular bills for about 2 years.

I have made door curtains and draught excluders so i can lower my heating.

When i boil a kettle I put unused water in a thermos flask to save on the electric.

When i walk my dogs I carry a rucksack and collect tree
branches, a weeks collection equals a nights heating ( if you have a chimney unblock it now ! I dont give a **** about zoning laws, if you are freezing burn stuff LOL)

I have gone down to the absolute bargain brands in all my local stores EXCEPT when there is a good offer on good meat.

I have bought a push bike, i do have a cheap car but it looks like that will have to go due to petrol, insurance and road tax prices.

I am going to build a bike trailer !

I am a gardener but the short gardening season (and small garden size) here in the UK means home grown is a welcome addition but certainly cannot provide enough to live on.

Ah well enough from me, good luck all, its going to be a rough ride

Yup was thinking the same thing

How Do You Feel???

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. :)