We tried to live within a budget, but we can't

[Koolau]

Bold by me.

Here is where you are missing out. Don't let the low price fool you. Most of the Clancy branded chips et. al. are as good or better than the same name brand. We have found almost all of the Aldi's "exclusive" products to be very good. Frankly, that is where you save the most money. Example: Aldi's kettle chips $1.39. name brand, on sale, $2.50, Usually $3.50, and I like the Aldi's (Clancy's) better.

And when lamb is on sale, $7.99 for a boneless, butter-flied leg, or $9.99 for a rack of lamb.

I actually mis-spoke. We DID try things like chips once. That's when we decided to pay the extra for the name brands. I'm sure there are some items we'd find acceptable, but probably won't look for them. YMMV

 

[Badger]

Yes she is. And her closet is overflowing and we have more clothes in the basement. I don't complain because my hobbies aren't cheap.

We don't want to have to budget for everyday stuff. Just track and plan for it. If we bust it by too much, it cuts into our annual play money, but we're not close to that yet.

I only read the first page and it appears that your title to the thread is incorrect. With the amount of clothes already in the closet and the basement that is overflowing and the monthly clothes budget there is no "We" that is trying.



Cheers!

 

[gayl]

I also only read the 1st page so that's what I'm responding to.

Interesting. Is he or she spending $400/month on clothing? ..... Clothing is a trap. Most have overflowing closets of clothes and wear 5-10% of it.

Or buy really expensive stuff. That's 1 item at Niemann's if lucky

I'm not great at buying clothes. I try to get 1 outfit before each trip (3-4× a year) which includes shoes, socks, underwear, top, bottom. I have way too much jewelry. According to USAA I have spent $361.79 in the past 12 months.

 

[papaof2]

Sounds like a bad case of "I want" overriding "I won't" ;-)

Planning to pull a camper without planning for the fuel is just very poor planning, Perhaps a weekend at home in the camper and ignoring the phones instead - or can you not stand the quiet?

Your food budget sounds like "Let's try that new <pick one> restaurant" very frequently.

If you're not working, that much in clothes is either trying to impress other people or "I gotta have a new...." - both are poor uses of your money when the price of food is going up and its availability is going down.

Definitely sounds like a bad case of "I want" overriding "I won't" ;-)

Sorry if I seem harsh, but we've been living on much less per month than you because we couldn't plan for every possibility - but, in spite of circumstances, everything is paid for and we have what we need in food, clothing and fuel. On the other hand, we don't need to spend money to be entertained or to impress other people.

 

[ivinsfan]

Wow papaof2 you really assume a lot. Just wondering how much of this thread you actually read.



You don't seem harsh you seem very judgmental, if you want to post your spending here I'm sure we can find something wrong with it.

 

[Oakster]

Budgets don't work if you spend freely and then look backwards at what you spent.

All you need to know right there.

 

[bloom2708]

I also only read the 1st page so that's what I'm responding to.
Or buy really expensive stuff. That's 1 item at Niemann's if lucky

I'm not great at buying clothes. I try to get 1 outfit before each trip (3-4× a year) which includes shoes, socks, underwear, top, bottom. I have way too much jewelry. According to USAA I have spent $361.79 in the past 12 months.

Even my "Prana Stretch Zion" pants are only $85 unless I catch a sale. The shorts are under $50 usually. They last a long time, so it takes a long time to need a new pair.

 

[almost there]

No related to the overspending on clothes of the orig. post.
But things have changed since I retired at 51 in 2013.
Things that have gone way up in price. Doubled in price,
or more than doubled in price. In my neck of the woods anyway.
SoCal coast.

Calif. DMV tags. For an old motorcycle was $60.00 per yr. Now the min is $132.00 (It's a hobby, have (11) 5 registered a yr. for street)
Same with cheap cars, min 1 yr tags is $132.00

Elect. was $60-70, now $120-150 per month.

Gas. up about $1.00 a gallon. Cheapest place in town for prem. is now $4.50

A lot of food is up an easy 50% at the store. "Good" Carne Asada burritos' are right at $9.00-$10.00 rather than $5.00

Nat. gas, about doubled. Was ave/mo around $30.00 now $60.

Water/ sewage / curb & gutter, Clean ocean fee's $60-$70 now $115-$150 mo. (Have rocks, stepping stones and a bit of fake grass)

Cable & internet was $90.00 now $182.00

But, luckily we have had 2% inflation over the years. And interest rates are still at all time low's.

Am doing fine. No real worries. But if you are not aware what's been happening. You have not been paying attention.

 

[almost there]

Side note... Some people buy things out of boredom. Anger, to blow off steam.
To feel better...etc...
Sounds like it might be the case here.

 

[indiajust]

quicken tells me 832 bucks since january of 2015. I have no idea how to spend that much on clothes

 

[corn18]

Sounds like a bad case of "I want" overriding "I won't" ;-)

Planning to pull a camper without planning for the fuel is just very poor planning, Perhaps a weekend at home in the camper and ignoring the phones instead - or can you not stand the quiet?

Your food budget sounds like "Let's try that new <pick one> restaurant" very frequently.

If you're not working, that much in clothes is either trying to impress other people or "I gotta have a new...." - both are poor uses of your money when the price of food is going up and its availability is going down.

Definitely sounds like a bad case of "I want" overriding "I won't" ;-)

Sorry if I seem harsh, but we've been living on much less per month than you because we couldn't plan for every possibility - but, in spite of circumstances, everything is paid for and we have what we need in food, clothing and fuel. On the other hand, we don't need to spend money to be entertained or to impress other people.

I guess you have it all figured out and there are never any surprises in your financial life. Congratulations.

 

[imnontrad]

Wow $400/month for clothes is not high enough? That is more than I spend in a year. And I am getting ready to go through what I have and donate a lot that I an not reallly wearing since I retired.

And $1,500/month for food! Even if I add in all my expenses for eating out, I do not think I top $350.

My guess is that there are a LOT of clothes that are not really being worn plus food that is spoiling before being thrown out, or a LOT of prepackaged foods.

As far as camping - are you going to the same camping location each time? If so, consider paying for a monthly campsite (or longer) for a lot lower cost and leave your camper there instead of towing it each time. What you spend extra in camping fees, you will more than make up in lower gas prices (especially if you drive there in a vehicle with better gas mileage).

It sounds like shopping may be either an unnecessary habit or a way to fill up time because there are not hobbies/other activities (or difficulty with self esteem) . Starting now, make a pact to not only STOP buying clothes but also do not go to the grocery again until pretty much everything in the freezer, refrigerator and pantry is eaten up. My guess is that except for something like milk, you will be able to eat for several weeks with just what you have on hand.

Also, consider making up a menu of dinners a month at a time. It really only takes about 30 minutes to do this. Schedule in days to eat out also. After first doing an inventory of what you already have, you will be able to create a grocery list with just the items you need for the month - and consider spending a little to be able to just pick them up (letting someone else fill your list) to prevent impulse shopping.

Another thing to do is go ahead and budget your current amount for clothes and food. Then establish a sinking fund and put in the money each month where you go below your budget. then use that for an extra special vacation/purchase. or every time there is a purchase on these categories, put an equal amount into that fund. I heard of someone who stopped smoking when his wife did this. In just one year, she had enough in that fund for both of them to go on a great cruise. He really had not realized how much his habit was costing them.

 

[almost there]

Question for orig poster. How much was purchased "in person" V.S. ordering online "not in person" Just curious..................

 

[isisdave]

As retirees, we spend nothing on clothes most months. Facebook recently popped up one of those "memory" posts from eight years ago. I was wearing the same shirt that was in the picture. The dog occasionally chews on underwear in the clothes basket. We don't throw it out unless it's a big hole. You get the idea.

I would put your camping gas under "recreation" or "travel" rather than "gas," which I'd reserve for at-home usual-car monitoring. This makes the travel category more realistic.

It's important to monitor the budget on things you buy all the time. You can have 5 cars at $132 registration annually. It doesn't matter if you pay $1000 or $1100 for car insurance annually. You SHOULD mind your electric use. You shouldn't be buying $50 caviar, or expensive wine, cigarettes or other vegetable products to smoke every week, or if you are, those are the things to monitor.

When you travel, in many places a $100 hotel room is pretty much the same as a $250 one.

Of course, all this depends on your age, wealth, and income. If you have lots of all three, spend away! It took me about three years after retirement to switch from "squeeze the nickel" mode to "you can't take it with you."

 

[Gumby]

...You shouldn't be buying $50 caviar, or expensive wine, cigarettes or other vegetable products to smoke every week....

It seems a little presumptuous to tell other people how they should and should not spend their money. I am happy to tell people what I do with my own money and why, but their money is theirs and they can do whatever they want with it.

 

[Dtail]

And $1,500/month for food! Even if I add in all my expenses for eating out, I do not think I top $350.

We budget and spend around 1300 per month for 2 people on food.
Cook from Home Chef 3x weekly = 240 monthly
Dining out/order in 4x weekly = 700 monthly
All alcohol included in the numbers.
Breakfast about 4x monthly = 100 monthly
Lunch about 4x monthly = 120 monthly
Misc groceries = 140 monthly

Rarely anything gets thrown out. Cooking is a necessary evil for us.
So for us, 1500 monthly is not a stretch.

 

[JJpop]

Not trying to be rude but it sounds like simple self control.
If you are at home 1500 a month for food for 2 people is a choice that you eat out a lot.
The clothes are simply a want and not a need.

 

[corn18]

Not trying to be rude but it sounds like simple self control.
If you are at home 1500 a month for food for 2 people is a choice that you eat out a lot.
The clothes are simply a want and not a need.

$2,000 / month

 

[CardsFan]

I am amazed at the comments here telling someone how they should spend their money, and they are spending too much on this or that. (Well, maybe I am not amazed, just disappointed)

OP was simply pointing out that setting a budget that is different than your normal spend, does not always work as you hope.

From everything I have read, OP can support this level of spending, and realizes that he may have jumped the gun by setting a goal that was not consistent with the past.

And, ignoring WHAT they spend it on, OP's annual spend is probably fairly typical for many of the folks here. Not all, I am sure some spend way more (Robbie comes to mind) and some spend way less.

Rant over.

 

[2177V]

Cut up your credit cards and use cash. Withdrawal cash for your food and clothes budget. At the end of the month, you will likely run low on cash and you have to decide between food or clothes. This usually works since your credit cards blows up your monthly budget.

 

[FlaGator]

I am amazed at the comments here telling someone how they should spend their money, and they are spending too much on this or that. (Well, maybe I am not amazed, just disappointed)



OP was simply pointing out that setting a budget that is different than your normal spend, does not always work as you hope.



From everything I have read, OP can support this level of spending, and realizes that he may have jumped the gun by setting a goal that was not consistent with the past.



And, ignoring WHAT they spend it on, OP's annual spend is probably fairly typical for many of the folks here. Not all, I am sure some spend way more (Robbie comes to mind) and some spend way less.



Rant over.

+1

I’m surprised at the number of scolds responding.

Personally, I find what some people spend on travel shocking, but I have already seen most of the lower 48 and didn’t leave anything valuable in Maui. No strong desire to go overseas again. Do I post on those threads telling people they are wasting their money? No, why would I? It’s their money.

This thread shows me some will drop a brick if I posted my spending for the last few years.

But I won’t, so the scolds will have to find something else to gnash their teeth over.

 

[ivinsfan]

+1

I’m surprised at the number of scolds responding.

Personally, I find what some people spend on travel shocking, but I have already seen most of the lower 48 and didn’t leave anything valuable in Maui. No strong desire to go overseas again. Do I post on those threads telling people they are wasting their money? No, why would I? It’s their money.

This thread shows me some will drop a brick if I posted my spending for the last few years.

But I won’t, so the scolds will have to find something else to gnash their teeth over.

Did the weekly email update come out and are we getting drive-by comments?


I've been around long enough that I respect posters here and would not type anything I wouldn't say to their faces.



A few of these last posters should try that sometime.

 

[RetiredHappy]

I am amazed at the comments here telling someone how they should spend their money, and they are spending too much on this or that. (Well, maybe I am not amazed, just disappointed)

OP was simply pointing out that setting a budget that is different than your normal spend, does not always work as you hope.

From everything I have read, OP can support this level of spending, and realizes that he may have jumped the gun by setting a goal that was not consistent with the past.

And, ignoring WHAT they spend it on, OP's annual spend is probably fairly typical for many of the folks here. Not all, I am sure some spend way more (Robbie comes to mind) and some spend way less.

Rant over.

+1.

To some, OP might appear to be spending too much by their standards. But OP is not asking them how he and his wife should be spending their money. OP and wife can afford their lifestyle.

 

[RobbieB]

Guilty party here -

Everything I've said about my spending is true. 5-7% for seven years. And now up 50% over the same time.

Due to the 50% uptick in funds and the 7 less years of life expectancy, my spending is now within the 4% even though I didn't change anything.

Thank you equities -

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Even my "Prana Stretch Zion" pants are only $85 unless I catch a sale. The shorts are under $50 usually. They last a long time, so it takes a long time to need a new pair.

One of our kids wears those and I put them into camelcamelcamel notifications and get an email when the price drops on Amazon.