Thursday, November 26, 2009

Clarification

It seems like I need to clarify our $250/month grocery and household supply budget. It may seem low to some. When I was single, I was spending over $1000/month on "food". I also didn't use my kitchen much.

If all you do is buy real food ie. fruits and vegetables, some meat and seafood (we like shrimp) and no processed or modified foods, it is amazing how much you get for $250. That is all that money is intended for.

Yes, we do eat out. It comes from a fun account or our own allowances, which by the way is $40/month each. We also have a "dream account" for solo interests and ventures which gets funded to the tune of $80/month each. There is also a misc. account that we put in $80/month for anything else that comes up.

There hasn't been a need to set up clothing or gift accounts because we rarely spend on those categories. For Christmas, we buy for 2 people. That's it. Total cost is usually around $100 max.

D and I do not exchange gifts. We enjoy going out for dinner instead. And we buy clothes out of replacement necessity, not fashion. I just bought a pair of pants over the weekend to replace a pair that has been with me for 9 years.

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great plan. my wife and I spend $75/week on groceries and household stuff, like you we have a separate dinner out category and separate allowances/solo ventures/hobby fund as well.

    Regards,

    Jason

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  2. I've tried to talk people into not exchanging gifts, but nobody seems to go for that....I don't need more stuff, and I'm pretty sure they won't like the stuff I get them, seems ridiculous for everyone to spend as much as they do to exchange crap that nobody wants.

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  3. Thanks Jason!

    There have been months where we are due to buy cleaning supplies etc. that throws things off. Otherwise it works well.

    When I had everything in one account, it got out of hand because it was one big category so no keeping track of how much and if it made sense.

    Hi Dave!

    Honestly, I would like to not have to buy the 2 gifts we have left to buy anymore as well. We are down to D's parents and there isn't a hope they will go for that.

    They have outright said that they don't care if we don't like what we get, we can donate it, but they will not stop...how's that for making sense?!

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