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

You got it...

[Anonymous Coward]

Sure. I take home about $7000/month. My wife takes home $1000-$2000 depending on her part time schedule.

• Mortage = $2950/month on my $400k loan. House in Massachusetts, just refinanced late last year.
• Car #1: $400/month, 2000 Volvo XC.
• Car #2: $200/month, leased Honda Accord
• Cell Phones: $80, T-Mobile family plan
• Comcast (cable+internet): $120 (includes movie channel package)
• Regular phone: $65 (Verizon)
• Electric : $80ish
• Oil heat: about 4 fillups a year, $350/per.
• Going out to eat: $150/month
• Food shopping: no budgeted amount but I can tell you I spent $400 in two visits over the past couple of weeks
• Student loans: none. Paid off when we got ahead on cash.
• Investments: $200/month into an SP index fund. Used to be $600, I cut back.

That's about all I can think of to itemize. Of course the last big budget item would go under "misc living expenses" and includes everything like special circumstances, travel/holidays/vacations, gifts, and so on, and usuaully ends up over $1500/month.

Nothing special going into the baby's college yet, save for UPromise (loyalty program), holiday/relative money, and random transfers.

No special money going to retirement outside of the company 401k for both my wife and myself.

I'm pleased to say that we manage to keep an emergency savings fund of about $40k in the bank, too.

mine

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, lets get the ball rolling:

Per month:
$50 cigarettes
$70 gas/car stuff
$20 eating out
$470 food/grocery store type stuff
$120 Credit Card minimum payments
$90 Girlfriend's credit card minimums
$100 electric
$750 mortgage
$13 cell phone (emergency only 5 minutes free a month plan)
$45 Telco, 2 land lines
$150 Satellite, Starband Internet + TV
$50 school loan

Car insurance is about $1100 between myself and my girlfriend paid yearly.

Household is self/girlfriend/6 year old son

So yeah, I'm barely scraping by on my $36,000 a year job as a programmer/analyst. Most extra money goes to paying off credit cards, or for lawyer's fees relating to custody of my son.

My girlfriend is looking for work, she majored in hearing and speech disorders in college. I did not finish college, but I went for 4 years in CS/CIS.

Yes, I'm considering cutting back the satellite seriously.