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goodnatured
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
goodnatured's page
Posts: 4005
1187 Magic Points
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Subject: Household Budgeting
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Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:38 am
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How do you have your household budget set up?
Do you have a spreadsheet on the computer? Do you have it hard copy on paper? Do you keep track of all your savings with coupons? What do you do to keep track of your money?
I use a tablet to write everything done month to month, been thinking about using the software that came on my computer, but just can't get into the swing of it. I would rather sit down with my coffee on the couch and figure it all out. Go month to month.
I am gonna start writing down my coupons savings too, just to see how good I have done by the end of 3 months, 6 months and one year. |
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Laura
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Laura's page
Posts: 1400
34745 Magic Points
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Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:52 am
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I have a small pocket note pad. Each expense I note down once it is done. thats a habit of mine. Now I have a fixed saving..around 45% of my earnings. So at the end of the month the remaining that is not used goes to the saving as well. Just that I do the maths in paper. For sure I have the spreadsheet to keep a detailed note but I have the written backup always.
I have saved on coupons and discounts which is just by chance. I have saved a lot on travel and now time to calculate total expenditure and savings. 
_________________
Regards,
Laura. |
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goodnatured
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
goodnatured's page
Posts: 4005
1187 Magic Points
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Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:29 pm
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| I guess if I write down what I save in coupons, it will just show me how expensive it is to really live. I have to write things down or sometimes I will overlook something important. I used to do the bill pay thing online with all my bills, now I just do it with my bills that take priority, like mortgage and utilities. |
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debtstinker
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
debtstinker's page
Posts: 302
1 Magic Points
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Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:43 pm
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Great ideas! we have an excel spread sheet that helps us to track expenses over the course of a year. now i do not write down little things and i really should, probably on a traditional notepad because our excel sheet only tracks necessary expenses i.e. insurance, rent payments, car, loans, etc.
never thought about writing down how much our coupons save. scared to death to do that, while on one hand it'll be nice to see how much we're saving, and we're avid coupon users, but also it'll be hard to see just how much it does cost to live!!!! and now with gas going up everything will go up and there's no end in sight for weeks  |
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Laura
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Laura's page
Posts: 1400
34745 Magic Points
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Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:00 am
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 why will you be scared for things you are doing? Come on face it. Initially I was scared as well but as I took upon budgeting and saving for family I have kept myself aware on how much we live upon. That helps me estimate whether we can cut out on some expenses which are completely unnecessary.
Future seems dull though with the rising price. Can we trust what Government is saying on fall of the prices all over again?
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Regards,
Laura. |
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debtstinker
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
debtstinker's page
Posts: 302
1 Magic Points
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Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:35 pm
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heck no! I trust us and what we can do to prepare in case things get worse. not really scared i guess, it really is so expensive to live though. i can't even walk out of walmart for u nder $20 any more! while that's not a whole lot i guess it is for us.
I love scouring the ads weekly to see what's out there and comparing. i'll say that for our area, we have options to pick from and that's great before we could only shop at walmart and i thought we were saving all this money, in some cases we were, in many cases we weren't. they don't double coupons and rarely do they have sales that affect our family. there are select items like pedialyte (parents choice) that we get from walmart since it is far cheaper, baby wipes same way. our meats we get from our local store. so there's always things we can do to budget and we learn all the time!
Did you know that we can send our expired coupons to our military families? overseas i guess they can use coupons up to 6 months from the expiration date. awesome idea |
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Laura
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Laura's page
Posts: 1400
34745 Magic Points
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Sat Nov 17, 2007 4:26 am
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Hey debt I did not have any idea regarding this.expired coupons can be used my the military up to six months? What did you mean by overseas? I'm asking because I have coupons which i would like to send down then. At least someone will be able to use them. This is really great.
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Regards,
Laura. |
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Dadummy
Joined: 15 Nov 2007
Dadummy's page
Posts: 636
20 Magic Points
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Sat Nov 17, 2007 1:28 pm
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| I write it down in a tablet, staple my copy with the check or confirmation number on it to a page dedicated to that months bills, then if they say it isn't paid I have my proof right where I can find it. This has worked for me for years, once the year is out, the whole tablet with reciepts goes in my filing cabinet and I will keep it for 7 years,hee, hee, don't ask me about the 7 years, just seems like a safe time frame for me. |
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goodnatured
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
goodnatured's page
Posts: 4005
1187 Magic Points
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Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:51 pm
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stapling the reciepts and writing the check or confirmation numbers is an excellent idea. I usually through everything in a folder, but this would keep everything in order by month, great idea.
_________________
Goodnatured,
http://cashinpocket.synthasite.com/
for all the ways I make $$ online |
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debtstinker
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
debtstinker's page
Posts: 302
1 Magic Points
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Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:57 pm
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| Laura, let me try to find the addy again i should have written it down SEE DEBTSTINKER NOT TO SELF WRITE STUFF DOWN. in all seriousness, i was very happy to hear that we have that option. give me a little time and i'll find it for you i think it's a wonderful way that all of us coupon clippers can contribute. i don't know how many expired coupons i just threw out. take care, see all of you soon. happy saturday everyone! |
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debtstinker
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
debtstinker's page
Posts: 302
1 Magic Points
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Sat Nov 17, 2007 4:21 pm
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Edward W. Allen III
P.O. Box 7539
Columbia, MO 65205
(573) 304-4122
"http://www.ocpnet.org/"
i hope our mods don't get upset, this is a really good program and i'm sure there are others out there |
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Dadummy
Joined: 15 Nov 2007
Dadummy's page
Posts: 636
20 Magic Points
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Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:24 am
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| Thanks for the expired coupon information, I just throw them away, I will write down this address and sent them off, I guess you could send all the current ones out of the weekly circulars that you don't use either, I throw alot of them away also. This is great informaiton. thanks |
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debtstinker
Joined: 03 Nov 2007
debtstinker's page
Posts: 302
1 Magic Points
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Sun Nov 18, 2007 4:57 pm
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| you are very welcome. I know that there are other organizations out there, i was reading a forum and one post was from a woman who lives on a military base, where i'm not sure, i'm assuming in the states at this point. she was saying that when families have to move, it's very taxing both emotionally and financially so any help the can get is very appreciated and also used. I'm sure that the coupons you don't use whether expired or current will help others. PLUS I went to a duty free shop on base once in Germany and I was amazed that the prices, they were great. now not sure if they accept coupons but if they did that would help them even more! |
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Laura
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Laura's page
Posts: 1400
34745 Magic Points
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Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:03 am
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Thanks debt. That was great help. My parents are too happy to know this.
_________________
Regards,
Laura. |
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Dadummy
Joined: 15 Nov 2007
Dadummy's page
Posts: 636
20 Magic Points
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Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:33 am
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Good morning everyone,
I am going shopping today at a food outlet that has some pretty good prices, it is aldis, I will stock up on my vegetables and other can goods. I have been there before and you can get some pretty good deals. You must take your own bags and pay a quarter for the grocery cart but the savings is well worth it. |
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