What Do You Use To Manage Your Family's Finances?!

...is it a software program, spreadsheet in excel that you created or downloaded, on pen and paper, check register, etc?

I personally like a system that is simple, easy to follow...yet detailed for my family's purposes. I like something that isn't all over the place, hard for me to follow or my husband to follow, & included too much information.

Part of the success of creating and maintaining a budget is to have a system that is good & works for you and your personal situation.

How do you manage your family's finances each week, bi-week, month, and/or annually?

I'm Here........Just So Busy.....

......but the sky looks cloudy.....I hope it thunderstorms; I don't know why, but I like them. I also LOVE the color of the sky....dark grayish/blue color.

I should be back in the groove of things tomorrow, hopefully.

Enjoy the rest of your evening!

Happy Memorial Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.........To All Our Service Men & Women!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Emergency Budget-Update

Here's a post I write on March 10th. Now, more than 2 months later, I'd thought give an update; which is at the bottom of this post.

"In these difficult economic times, it is NEVER, ever to soon to start planning for the unexpected. After all, isn't that's what car/home insurance, wills, and other future planning documents are for. It is to have everything in place, as best as you can, so you and your family would be prepared for the worse.

It's no surprise that more and more companies are laying off workers; and although my hubby's job is pretty secure (works in pharmaceutical/technologically field), you just never know. Even if he received a pay decrease, we would need to have a plan in place to cover our bills; especially with me staying home and having 1 income. It's even more important.

I talked with my husband about having an Emergency Budget in place; to cover our necessary expenses until he found another job, if he got laid off. He agreed and we started working on one.

Here's our Emergency Budget (if something happened)-$2,000 a month. (from our savings)
-This does NOT include unemployment, that would just be extra income.

Mortgage, Taxes, Homeowners Insurance, PMI= $1,143.50
Electricity/GAS/Water (Utilities)= $160.00
Phone (basic service)/Internet (basic as well)= $40.00
Cell Phone (reduce plan to just 1 phone with basic plan)= $40.00
Food/Toiletries/household expenses = 275.00
Transportation ( 2 cars, paid off) = $85.00
Student Loans= $40.00 (get them deferred due to unemployment)
Misc= $100.00
Heath Ins. (Daughter would get FREE coverage from state; hubby and I will get coverage through COBRA)= 100.00
Credit Cards= $12.00 ( they have $0 balance, but company charges $12 in monthly maintenance fees)

Total Bills = $1995.50; so we just rounded up to $2,000 (This may sound like a lot, but it isn't)

These are our basic bills, and we figured after looking over everything, we would need $2,000 to cover everything, especially our house payment (so we don't lose it; were new home owners..lol). It pays to save and be frugal, especially in these times where no one or no job is off limits.

Update

Since the time I wrote this article more than 2 months ago, we managed to save over 4 months of Emergency Expenses (Once we get to 6 months; we will STOP adding money to our E-Fund) and my husband received a promotion & a 14% raise.

We will continue to contribute to our regular accounts as well; I.E. Retirement, Vacation, Regular Savings, Auto, Christmas & a soon to be New Car Account (yes, we really have all these accounts..lol)

Have you and your family developed a plan in case something happened?

Superb Deals w/pic........plus up coming posts

As you can see from the above pictures, including the recipt...I paid $13.24 OOP and saved $38.67!

Here's what I purchased:

5 Boxes of Uncle Bens Wild Grain Rice
2 Boxes of Ritz Bits
1 Box of Wheat Thins
2 Containers of Coop Whip
1/4lb., Pepper Turkey Breast (not pictured)
A Loaf Cake (for hubby)
Box of Carolina Rice
Jar of Miracle Whip
1 Glade Sense & Spray

Up Coming Posts

I have been thinking and working on some topics to blog about. Here are some that I will be putting up in the coming days:

1. Tour of my home w/pictures
2. Update on Disney World Trip
3. Budgeting
4. My Coupon Binder
5. How I prepare for food shopping