Help!!! I need to budget?

Question

OK I have previously done a budget and according to it I make more than enough money to pay my expenses. Problem is I don't have enough. I find myself living paycheck to paycheck and sometimes getting a payday advance. Someone plese help, maybe I'm not seeing something

Here are my major expenses
Rent- $733.00
Car-$442.60
Car Insurance-$134.68
Cell Phone-$50-60
Cable- $35.23
Home Phone-$15.00
PG&E-$30.00
Gas-$50 every two weeks if I go straigh home after work
Grocery-$75-$100 a month
Misc- those little unexpected expenses

When those unexpected expenses pop up I usually have put a bill aside.

Also I don't usually pay the smaller expenses in full because I need just a little something in my pocket.

As far as car insurance I had an accident in 2005 (not at fault and I just made 25 the age in which they say that insurance should go down.) This is the cheapest I have found. As far as getting help there is no one (My parents are deceased)

Answer 1

I use a website to do my budgeting, http://www.expenseregister.com . It is free. It has a feature similar to Steven F's suggestion. Basically, you enter your income and it splits the income into different spending categories with suggested amounts you can spend. It also has a category called Savings! Then I enter my expenses and check every week if I am exceeding my budget. I have been doing this for a few months and I like it.

Answer 2

I'd do away with the Cell Phone unless you have to have it for work. Here you can get cable, the most basic for $10, they don't advertise this you have to ask about it and see if they have something like it in your area. For your auto insurance is that $134.68 a month, if so can you find a lower insurance?

I hope you find a way too cut back because I think you spend too little on food and could eat better.

Diane

Answer 3

Sell the car!!! That huge car payment is AWFUL!!!

Get rid of cable!!!

Why would you have a home phone AND a cell phone? I would get rid of one or the other.

I used to live like this until the day I decided that being in debt and living paycheck to paycheck is NOT WORTH IT!!! The stress is terrible!

I STOPPED acquiring more debt and became debt-free in 14 months. It is a CHOICE, and I know you can do this!

I quit my corporate America career and have embarked on a crusade to help others win with their personal finances! You can read about it at my personal finance blog - http://www.josephsangl.com

Be sure to check out the free tools under the "TOOLS" link at the top of the page!

You CAN do this!

Answer 4

1. Cancel your cable. You need to be paid up on your other bills more than you need 100 channels.
2. Cancel your home phone. How often do you really use it?

Consider getting a roommate. Your rent is pretty reasonable, but you'd save a lot of money if you paid only half of that.

Answer 5

Put CASH in separate envelopes for each budget category. You would be surprised how much less you spend when you literally see your budget every time you buy anything. As for 'little unexpected expenses', they don't exist. You should be recording them and EXPECT them.

Answer 6

You could always try cutting out cell phone, cable, home phone since those aren't necessary. You seem to be frugal on everything else, so maybe you are having to many unbudgetted misc's.