So I just announced my Grocery Challenge for this year. I decided to open my budget for you all and do a budget challenge as well. The goal for me here is to stay on track so we can rebuild our emergency fund, pay off our credit card and save money to buy a house in 2016. We got behind when hubby got out of the Navy in July 2014 and was unemployed for a few months until he found his current job and we lived off my income and our emergency fund.
So here are the challenges in my budget. While Hubby’s income is steady mine can vary drastically each month. I do a lot of social media work and some months are really good and some months like summer time are really slow. Due to this i never know how much I have coming in until the end of the month. While I can make a guess based on payments coming in from pervious months (some companies I work with pay Net 60 which means I get paid in Jan. for income I made in Nov.) #2 we have a weakness for eating out that we are trying to kick to the curb.
So with that said here is an overview of our January Budget
Income
Hubby’s : $4,940 (with him getting paid every 2 weeks he has an ‘extra’ paycheck this month for us to budget out)
Mine: I’m budgeting for $1,500
Total = $6440
Budget
Rent - $1447
Electric – $199 ( we are on the budget plan so this is pretty much our set bill)
Water – $75
Gas – $250 (hubby works about 30 miles away)
Cell Phone $140
Car and Rent insurance $140
Internet $51
Credit Card Payment $210 + $1000
Direct TV – $55
Grocery $400
Pharmacy $50 (medicines)
My Car Payment $0 (jan payment already made)
Hubbys Car Payment $255.40
Newspapers $25
Eating Out $100
Baby Supplies $150 (to include Diapers, Wipes, mics)
Homeschool $25
Entertainment $100 (included is netflix) This is any cost to get out of the house with the kids, we try to use this from one on one time with the kids
My Son’s Birthday Party $75 (included a few decor since we bought most of it, his cake, extra food needed and birthday gifts)
Clothing $10 We don’t have any clothing needs so this will roll over most likely for Easter Clothes for the kids
Hair $40 I desperately need a hair cut it’s been about 6 months….
ATM Fees $10 (since out bank isn’t local)
Saving for College $100
Church Donation $100
Savings $1000
Leaving $388 in our budget for flex money, this will budget out throughout the month for needs anything left over at the end of the month goes to savings. I won’t lie some months we don’t have this luxury of flex money. We are blessed to this month due to hubby’s ‘extra’ paycheck.
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