How do you manage your money?

[E-BRAKE]

Just a thought, so how do you keep track of your expenses?

[SL1CK]

Bought a little expense book kinda thing. Write down how much I spent, how much I got left, etc etc.

Now I keep track of it on my sidekick.

[Flores]

Citibank Card.

They itemize everything for me.

[xxjustimajinxx]

figure what you spend average for billls and some for misc. crap. and slide the rest in my savings. Check my bank acct everyday so know where the money is all going. and keep records of major spending expenses for my record

[azinwood]

i have an excel spreadsheet to keep track of all accounts and spending. also use the credit card websites to watch spending.

[Cloud Nine]

my pda and online bank

[235TURBO]

i dont...i see, i like, i buy... i broke

[235TURBO]

just kidding ...sort of

[Kohinoor]

ms excel

[tit$]

really don't keep track of expenses, i'm pretty good at not buying things i don't absolutely need (other than at the bar)

[AlleyKat]

What is $$$ managing? :gonk:

[grnlude97]

really don't keep track of expenses, i'm pretty good at not buying things i don't absolutely need (other than at the bar)

Same here pretty much, I know I can't possibly spend more than I make unless I'm really trying.

Daniel :)

[PIYF]

I go to my bank online and see my balance and that's pretty much how I see my expenses. If it's lower than a certain amount (I know what it is) then I know to stop buying shit.

[stone_free]

i talk myself outta buying shit most of the time...lol...nah..i dont spend much unless its for my place or food or bills..me and the SO consider it wasting money if we eat out here and there all the time..

[LabtopThief_jr.]

can any of yall give a good example of how you keep track of your spending? i really want to get into the habit of keeping track of what i spend. Do yall just do this for example
Food - $6 2/4/08
Turbo - $500 2/8/08
etc.

[slideways2004]

my cc itemizes everything to like gas, auto expense, groceries. my bank account also shows everything. why put it in a different spreadsheet when its already done for you. now if you do a lot of cash type stuff, you might need to have a way of tracking that

[LabtopThief_jr.]

my cc itemizes everything to like gas, auto expense, groceries. my bank account also shows everything. why put it in a different spreadsheet when its already done for you. now if you do a lot of cash type stuff, you might need to have a way of tracking that

i plan to only have one credit at the most, i know in the future im going to have an urge to get more than one but right now im beating in my head credit cards = no skyline

[slideways2004]

i plan to only have one credit at the most, i know in the future im going to have an urge to get more than one but right now im beating in my head credit cards = no skyline

i have one right now. i might get 1 more to help my credit build a little better but probably not sometime soon

[LabtopThief_jr.]

i have one right now. i might get 1 more to help my credit build a little better but probably not sometime soon

thats also an issue with CCs, to get better credit you need more CCs i gotta look up how building your credit works to figure out a way to build it with either one credit card or no credit cards. Funny thing is im probably the only person in my school that thinks about this stuff now and actually practices it

[slideways2004]

thats also an issue with CCs, to get better credit you need more CCs i gotta look up how building your credit works to figure out a way to build it with either one credit card or no credit cards. Funny thing is im probably the only person in my school that thinks about this stuff now and actually practices it

high school?? if so, you're probably right and good for you!

[LabtopThief_jr.]

high school?? if so, you're probably right and good for you!

im 18, graduating in may and yea in my school i probably am the only one lol thanks i've been listening to dave ramsay's show a lot, very helpful on how to get out of debt and stay out of debt and other finance related issues.

[PIYF]

can any of yall give a good example of how you keep track of your spending? i really want to get into the habit of keeping track of what i spend. Do yall just do this for example
Food - $6 2/4/08
Turbo - $500 2/8/08
etc.


Doubtful anyone goes that extreme. That would get old after a week. With going online to your bank it tends to end the old way of keeping track of expenses that way.

But maybe some people have way more money and need to be that extensive about it. But for the normal wage guy not really.

[axio]

mint.com + excel + budgeting

[inlinesix]

i dont...i see, i like, i buy... i broke

You break a lot of things.

Just kidding.

[DAkid]

Bought a little expense book kinda thing. Write down how much I spent, how much I got left, etc etc.

Now I keep track of it on my sidekick.

main reason i dont get rid of the sidekick is cause of the money clip. thats what i use. it keeps me in line.

[Ripcurl]

quicken 2008

works like a charm.

[NisAznMonk]

Two weeks before each paycheck I make a new notepad file, and I figure out where all my money has to go before I actually receive my pay. That way I already know where the money has to go, and what play money I have left.

I use notepad and split it up into sections.

Section 1 is the "have to pay" bills twice a month
Section 2 is the "once a month" bills
Section 3 is stuff I just charged up this month

On section three the limit is based on what I have left-over in my budget to spend. If I only have $1250 for 2 weeks then that is all I spend. I don't buy much so it isn't a bad system for me.

[VTi EG6]

I write down what bills I need to pay...
Then I pretty much divide the rest into gas/food/ etc...

[LabtopThief_jr.]

whats a good easy to keep track of money on a normal wage and only spend money for gas, food, and small luxuries but not expensive

[Bad Shark]

i have an excel spreadsheet to keep track of all accounts and spending. also use the credit card websites to watch spending.

that's what i do.

[NisAznMonk]

whats a good easy to keep track of money on a normal wage and only spend money for gas, food, and small luxuries but not expensive


None of these ideas will work if you don't keep up with it at least bi-weekly, if not daily. Start off with notepad or a spreadsheet, and just experiment with what works for you. Whatever I buy I tend to keep the receipt with me until I can log it in on my home computer.

[cabajaba]

Quicken

[RaCinStylez]

Microsoft Excel

[second2none]

Two weeks before each paycheck I make a new notepad file, and I figure out where all my money has to go before I actually receive my pay. That way I already know where the money has to go, and what play money I have left.

I use notepad and split it up into sections.

Section 1 is the "have to pay" bills twice a month
Section 2 is the "once a month" bills
Section 3 is stuff I just charged up this month

On section three the limit is based on what I have left-over in my budget to spend. If I only have $1250 for 2 weeks then that is all I spend. I don't buy much so it isn't a bad system for me.

This is exactly how I track my expenses. Easiest way to track your expenses. You can even go a step further and budget down to the week/day.

[civic_guy116]

thats also an issue with CCs, to get better credit you need more CCs i gotta look up how building your credit works to figure out a way to build it with either one credit card or no credit cards. Funny thing is im probably the only person in my school that thinks about this stuff now and actually practices it

More isn't better when it comes to credit cards. There was a good article in the Wallstreet Journal about how credit cards have lost thier clout in building your credit. Too many will actually hurt your credit score. Car loans are a good way to build your credit. When I bought my car I had a 4 year loan my payments were $170 per month, I paid it off early and my credit score is far better than most of my friends who have credit cards and have always paid them off.

There's lots of myths and rumors surrounding credit and credit cards. Sp your best bet is just to read about it.

As far as budgeting, I always put half my money in savings and then use the other half for bills and expenses. I keep track of it through an excel spreadsheet. Its always good to write it ALL down...it'll keep you from saying to yourself "well its only $5 this one time". Those little expenses are trouble.

[tuanieee]

spreadsheet for me...

[LabtopThief_jr.]

More isn't better when it comes to credit cards. There was a good article in the Wallstreet Journal about how credit cards have lost thier clout in building your credit. Too many will actually hurt your credit score. Car loans are a good way to build your credit. When I bought my car I had a 4 year loan my payments were $170 per month, I paid it off early and my credit score is far better than most of my friends who have credit cards and have always paid them off.

There's lots of myths and rumors surrounding credit and credit cards. Sp your best bet is just to read about it.

As far as budgeting, I always put half my money in savings and then use the other half for bills and expenses. I keep track of it through an excel spreadsheet. Its always good to write it ALL down...it'll keep you from saying to yourself "well its only $5 this one time". Those little expenses are trouble.
what if you buy a car and pay it all in cash on the spot? what will that do for your credit?

[civic_guy116]

what if you buy a car and pay it all in cash on the spot? what will that do for your credit?

Well if you take a loan out and then pay the loan off it'd be a great way to improve your credit. If you just pay straight up cash for the car then it'll help your credit as much as paying cash for a candy bar.

[LabtopThief_jr.]

Well if you take a loan out and then pay the loan off it'd be a great way to improve your credit. If you just pay straight up cash for the car then it'll help your credit as much as paying cash for a candy bar.

gotcha thanks for clearing that up