Well, not really. But we spent last night on the computer, working on our 2011 household budget. We went through last year's budget and found that we kept pretty much on track with everything, but cat supplies. When we did our budget at the beginning of last year, we didn't really count on Mollipop coming to live with us at the end of March, so we had decreased the spending for food and litter. And ended up going over by about $25. Still not too bad because we had some extra vet visits due to her kitten shots and her spay. We adjusted our Cat Stuff accordingly for 2011 and should be OK.
I honestly thought that we'd end up way over the amount budgeted for groceries, but we didn't. With the price of foods increasing (and packaging amounts decreasing) so much in 2010, I thought it might be ugly. I was pleased that we stayed within our set amount. Our budget for Restaurants and such were OK, too; we don't do the restaurant thing that often because neither of us really enjoy it.
So we have our budget set for 2011.....had to make some adjustments b/c DH took a cut in pay, but then I got a nice increase so it wasn't too bad. It always take awhile to figure out where we're going from year to year and there's usually some muttering and grumbling, but eventually it passes for both of us. (We're easier to deal with than Washington!!
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Several years ago, DH and I also made an agreement that if we want something that costs over $100, we talk about it first. And then, if we both agree, we'll buy it. It might be something he wants or that I want, but we have to agree on it. That seems to work well for us. (Last summer when he was in Vegas and I found my Le Cruset chicken roaster on eBay that I wanted so badly, I called him to talk to him about it before I bid on it. And when there was a certain sports card that he wanted, he talked to me about it first, too. Doing that works for both of us.)
Do you have a set budget? We've been working with one now for several years and have found that it really helps. When we budget for an item, it's a lot easier to pay for vehicle tires and maintenance, vet bills and such. We have several types of Savings categories in the budget, too, and that helps us to save money.
I honestly thought that we'd end up way over the amount budgeted for groceries, but we didn't. With the price of foods increasing (and packaging amounts decreasing) so much in 2010, I thought it might be ugly. I was pleased that we stayed within our set amount. Our budget for Restaurants and such were OK, too; we don't do the restaurant thing that often because neither of us really enjoy it.
So we have our budget set for 2011.....had to make some adjustments b/c DH took a cut in pay, but then I got a nice increase so it wasn't too bad. It always take awhile to figure out where we're going from year to year and there's usually some muttering and grumbling, but eventually it passes for both of us. (We're easier to deal with than Washington!!
)Several years ago, DH and I also made an agreement that if we want something that costs over $100, we talk about it first. And then, if we both agree, we'll buy it. It might be something he wants or that I want, but we have to agree on it. That seems to work well for us. (Last summer when he was in Vegas and I found my Le Cruset chicken roaster on eBay that I wanted so badly, I called him to talk to him about it before I bid on it. And when there was a certain sports card that he wanted, he talked to me about it first, too. Doing that works for both of us.)
Do you have a set budget? We've been working with one now for several years and have found that it really helps. When we budget for an item, it's a lot easier to pay for vehicle tires and maintenance, vet bills and such. We have several types of Savings categories in the budget, too, and that helps us to save money.
Being this far along, I'm also eating more, and wanting more fast food. He gets frustrated but he learned early on that telling me that we can't afford for me to eat what I want is probably not a wise thing (the last and only time, I burst into tears). But I told him if we keep going over, maybe we need to readjust the budget.
I heard some wise words somewhere saying 
I should take those wise words to heart
We have only a few payments on DH's truck and my car has been paid off for years. We don't have high credit card payments. Other than our mortgage, our savings is probably our highest ticket payments right now....and that's a good thing.
My "budget" might be in my head but not printed in black and white -- Sort of like a budget based on "feel"? But then it's not a true budget.
