what is a good way to put yourself on a budget-and stick to living within your means, at all costs?

Question

(and prepare home cooked meals from scratch. Remember, this is a beginner who is unable to make anything other than cereal, and sometimes, toast.)

Answer 1

The best way is to start. Really, write out a budget on paper, try to stick to it for a month and see how you do. Keep up with your spending then after a month adjust in the places you went wrong. Mostly it's will power....

Answer 2

I agree. There is no easy way to do it. If there were, you wouldn't need to ask. You just have to make the choice to do it and stick with it. And if you are truly trying to budget yourself, then keep your receipts for EVERYTHING. At the end of say, one week, then sort your receipts into stacks of WHERE they are from. Look at how much you spent at the grocery store (hopefully buying "real food") and how much you spent on say, 3 fast food meals. Also, look at how much you've spent AT gas stations NOT on gas. If you use a debit card, you should always try to pay at the pump (if you don't already). This cuts down your chances of being lured into buying a soda, candy bar, etc..... If you are a coffee drinker, get a travel mug and make yourself a cup in the morning, MUCH MUCH cheaper overall then stopping for a cup every morning.


Best of luck to you!!!

Answer 3

A spread sheet listing everything that you spend for the month is the way to begin.
This includes things like car insurance which comes due twice a month, checkups etc., divide by 12 and put it in. Hopefully what comes in is enough to cover what goes out, and to really, really help with food, dates, etc., is the 'envelope' method.

Divide your household cash (food, gas, anything you don't put on a card..and for the first few months I would suggest going totally with the envelope system) Divide your months dollars you can spend, into 4 envelopes. You spend only what is in the envelope. when it is gone, you have to wait until the next week. If you didn't spend it all, leave it alone, add it to the next week, put it in savings, or go out for an ice cream--
Reevaluate your budget after a few weeks, and adjust. See if you need more or less food money, for example and tweak it until you can live with it.
I started out this way, and taught the kids to do the same. No one has ever gotten into financial trouble learning to start out this way in my family.

Cook ahead with simple things and make 'freezer' meals for later in the week...i.e. meatloaf, for example: Monday add baked potato, Tues, with mac and cheese, Wed, meatloaf sand, etc.etc., Meatballs, are fantastic to do ahead and freeze..BBQ , Swedish, Sweet and Sour, Meatballs with Spaghetti..etc. get the idea? I hope this helps.

Answer 4

The easiest way to stick to a budget is to have your bills deducted from you bank account automatically, this alleviates you handling the money. The one rule I remember is to always pay myself first. I have an amount that I think I can afford (in my case it is 10%) places in an account I have little or no access to.

The cooking is an easy one. Buy a cookbook for beginners. I had one and it helps ALOT for people who are stove challenged!

Answer 5

A good rule to follow is to allow yourself no more than 15% of your take home pay for food.
Try a Taste of Home cookbook; it has simple recipes and menu ideas that are great for a beginner cook.

Answer 6

Get rid of you credit card.

For budgetary advice and recipes try the site in the link.