But their #1 goal is to buy a house, and saving a $20,000 down payment for a $100,000 home would take them a mighty long time at $50 per month. They don’t have any debt, they are funding college and saving toward retirement. Might want to bookmark this for reference later □ Summary Oil changes and tune-ups happen, need a small amount of cash set aside for basic maintenance. This ideal family chose wisely, getting two well-loved Hondas with a lot of life left on them.
This should partially fund community college and an in-state undergrad degree At their income level, I only recommend setting aside $50 per month for each kid in a 529 account. But food and outings still cost money, so they need to save for their yearly vacation. This family knows how to stick to their budget well, and has taken advantage of my Favorites Rewards Credit Cards to get travel and hotel stays for free. Remember it’s the thought that counts.īeauty products and haircuts are needed occasionally, make sure you have the cash ready to go.
Go to clothing swaps, enjoy hand-me-downs, and shop the occasional thrift store.Īnniversaries and birthdays are IMPORTANT. I recommend keeping this low by STAYING AWAY FROM DEPARTMENT STORES. This gives them $300 to work with, which is plenty to have fun withĬlothing is a line item we have removed from our budget, but every now and then clothes are needed, especially with growing kids. I recommend buying in bulk.Ĭhristmas is a great time to enjoy giving, but set a reasonable budget. This can get expensive, but by splitting entrees, passing on desert, using Groupons and finding free things to enjoy, they get time awayĬontrary to logic, budgeting in spending cash can actually save you money.įido needs food, at their income they need to find good/natural dog food for $20 per month. Parents with multiple kids keep their sanity and kindle their love by budgeting for AT LEAST two date nights per month. They budget $100 per month, but try to beat this number each month. The ideal family would live close enough to even bike to work (ala Mr. As a single income household, the breadwinner can take the bus or drive to work. This family of four has a few options for commuting. Just pick a few of the meals per week and make enough for leftovers. With the help of eMeals meal planning, you can feed your family of four VERY WELL for $500 per month. Add in some taxes, and you’ve got smart phones for about $60 per month. Two Total Wireless Cell Phones only cost $57 a month for unlimited text and talk and 30GB of shared data. Make sure to shop this around at Geico for great deals. Just make sure you keep an eye on your bill to make sure they don’t jack up the rate on you.Ģ cars with minimal coverage should run $80 or less. Sometimes less than $40 for the first 6 months. Hi-speed internet can be found for cheap. Reduce usage by doing less laundry (re-wear clothing), don’t shower every single day and only run completely full dishwasher. The sophisticated budgeter is going to use cloth diapers to save money, but the water will may be a bit higher than normal. Air drying laundry, using efficient LED lights and keeping it cooler will help bring it down. If they get a mortgage, it should NOT exceed this amount.Įlectric heat and lights keep this bill up. This family is currently renting a 2 bedroom apartment. The Smiths goals seem pretty typical, but with a $40,000 salary, let’s see if they can get there: SMITH FAMILY BUDGET The Smiths are debt free, due to their frugal living choices.