A Breakdown of Your Monthly Budget?

Glonoinha asks: "I just finished balancing the checkbook after doing a stack of bills, the out-pile being higher than the in-pile, and I was wondering...do I completely underestimate the cost of living a regular lifestyle or am I getting taken for a ride? I am not interested in comparing paychecks, there are already plenty of studies out there to prove we are underpaid (well, most of us) - I am more interested in the overall picture. Where are you spending it? Post as an AC if you feel the need, but I am interested in a breakdown of monthly pre-tax income, taxes taken out, money put towards retirement, child support or alimony, mortgage or rent, car payment, medical insurance, car insurance, electricity, gas, water, entertainment, savings, liquor, food, vehicle maintenance, computer toys, and any other column you care to break out."

"The purchase price of your home, car, or any other property would be relevant if you were to include an indication to where you were geographically, and how you felt it was in relation to the rest of the region. If you were to include the type of work you do I would group those accordingly. If you are part of a two (or more) income residence, handle that however you wish but make a note of it so I can better tweak the dataset.

With a decent dataset made available I would be willing to do some statistical analysis and make the charts / compiled data available for download.

If you are not already doing a breakdown along these lines it may be an eye opener for your own use (but share it here to help make the dataset larger, more accurate.)"

Comments

tweak your dataset

[Anonymous Coward]

The purchase price of your home, car, or any other property would be relevant if you were to include an indication to where you were geographically, and how you felt it was in relation to the rest of the region. If you were to include the type of work you do I would group those accordingly. If you are part of a two (or more) income residence, handle that however you wish but make a note of it so I can better tweak the dataset.

And if you could also include your mother's maiden name and your social security number that would be great. kthxbye!

Re:Strange circumstances

[Feztaa]

(Oh, and to make you feel even better about my job - I have two weeks at Christmas, a week for spring break, and two months off every summer).

That sounds like a highschool student, except the "my job provides my housing, my food, my utilities, and my Internet access" bit.

What are you, like the sysadmin for a strange highschool that allows you to live at the school? That's about the only thing I can think of that fits the description.

Oh, and as for what to do with your money -- give it to me, of course.

The cigs are the retirement plan!

[Anonymous Coward]

If he cuts back on that, then he'll have to save *more* on retiring, thus cutting down on his quality of life.

This is a well established retirement cost-mitigation strategy.

Re:Well...

[Raskolnk]

I live in Portland... I have a one bedroom apartment in the middle of nowhere.

I don't like Portland either, but I wouldn't call it nowhere. I suppose it could just be an appartment in the middle of nowhere, not in Portland. In which case, you should probably consider getting rid of it.

Re:Mine's about $15K/year, regardless of what I ea

[Anonymous Coward]

Are you some kind of body mod nut? That's a hell of a lot of staples. And just what are you stapling?

Re:Enjoy this anonymous post

[Anonymous Coward]

(2nd daughter born yesterday!!! 8lbs 4oz)

Then get of slashdot, jackass! Raise that child, before she gets custody in the divorce.