Comments on: 7 Strategies To Help You Stick To Your Budget http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html personal finance blog with anecdotes, advice and commentary. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:30:41 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mike http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-371877 Mike Fri, 05 Aug 2011 23:14:27 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-371877 Natasha, I make more, you can survive with me :) Natasha,
I make more, you can survive with me :)

]]> By: marginsgirl http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-364183 marginsgirl Sun, 20 Feb 2011 01:55:56 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-364183 If you truly do pay off the card each week, it is better to use credit cards that have rewards. Between my husband's business Amex and our personal cards, we typically make between $50-100 a month in rewards. We don't spend the rewards until Christmas, and it feels so great to have hundreds of dollars of free money to spend. Again, though, this only works if you actually pay the cards before any interest is charged. Otherwise, obviously, that would be very counterproductive. If you truly do pay off the card each week, it is better to use credit cards that have rewards. Between my husband’s business Amex and our personal cards, we typically make between $50-100 a month in rewards. We don’t spend the rewards until Christmas, and it feels so great to have hundreds of dollars of free money to spend. Again, though, this only works if you actually pay the cards before any interest is charged. Otherwise, obviously, that would be very counterproductive.

]]> By: natasha http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-355712 natasha Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:44:06 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-355712 oups thats 350.. and i would like to put 150 aside.. can i survive with 200 euro for 1 month.. oups thats 350.. and i would like to put 150 aside.. can i survive with 200 euro for 1 month..

]]> By: natasha http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-355711 natasha Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:43:01 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-355711 HELP!!! Im getting 1000euro a month for salary. 325 goes for rent 75 for bus and metro pass 50 for cel 200 for visa (no choice) so thats already 650. So i have 450 and i would like to put 150 aside for a possible trip to morocco this winter... so that leaves me with 300euro for the month. can i survive? i tend to buy wine often, redbull and tend to go out to eat. i want to stop but i feel its impossible. tips please!!!! HELP!!!

Im getting 1000euro a month for salary.

325 goes for rent
75 for bus and metro pass
50 for cel
200 for visa (no choice)

so thats already 650. So i have 450 and i would like to put 150 aside for a possible trip to morocco this winter…
so that leaves me with 300euro for the month. can i survive? i tend to buy wine often, redbull and tend to go out to eat. i want to stop but i feel its impossible.
tips please!!!!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-59997 Anonymous Thu, 18 Jan 2007 13:52:00 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-59997 I've found that leaving me credit and debit cards at home an only paying cash for things has helped. That way if there is a major purchase I need, I can get my card, but I'm forced to think about whether I really need it. Taking out the budgeted amount of cash for the week, and then knowing that that is all you have has helped me. Watching my wallet size shrink keeps me conscious of how much I am spending rather than just swiping a card. I’ve found that leaving me credit and debit cards at home an only paying cash for things has helped. That way if there is a major purchase I need, I can get my card, but I’m forced to think about whether I really need it. Taking out the budgeted amount of cash for the week, and then knowing that that is all you have has helped me. Watching my wallet size shrink keeps me conscious of how much I am spending rather than just swiping a card.

]]> By: Mona http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-40980 Mona Fri, 10 Nov 2006 07:33:43 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-40980 mapgirl, I don't think your statement about debit cards having less fraud protection is true. Most debit cards are part of Visa or Master Card thus having the same protection as a credit card. I don't think anyone should use credit cards, period. Using borrowed money is never the way to go. Everyone always thinks they will pay it off at the end of the month but what if some emergency happens. I think it is always safe to use cash or debit. Don't use credit cards- I have learned this lesson the hard way. I think our society is being fed that credit scores, loan amounts and credit limits some how establishes our worth. What if you had no payments at all. No house payment, no car payment or credit card payment. Can you imagine the amount wealth you could be building? This is my goal. To get rid of the payments once and for all, save and then invest. mapgirl, I don’t think your statement about debit cards having less fraud protection is true. Most debit cards are part of Visa or Master Card thus having the same protection as a credit card.

I don’t think anyone should use credit cards, period. Using borrowed money is never the way to go. Everyone always thinks they will pay it off at the end of the month but what if some emergency happens. I think it is always safe to use cash or debit. Don’t use credit cards- I have learned this lesson the hard way.

I think our society is being fed that credit scores, loan amounts and credit limits some how establishes our worth. What if you had no payments at all. No house payment, no car payment or credit card payment. Can you imagine the amount wealth you could be building?
This is my goal. To get rid of the payments once and for all, save and then invest.

]]> By: Donna http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-18584 Donna Tue, 29 Aug 2006 01:56:03 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-18584 I love the idea of no spend days -- I'm thinking of making it a regular feature of our lives: no spending on Thursdays, for example. I'm not sure everyone will follow in my house, but the idea is such a great one. I also think that tracking each penny is a drag, but I have gotten us in the habit of getting a receipt for everything we spend from a dollar to any amount. Then, we have a little (nice-looking) box that we put it in and I go through it and put it on the software. My husband and I have become very aware of our spending through this method and, we're a bit competitive, so we try to spend a bit less all the time. Great suggestions. Thanks for the tips. I love the idea of no spend days — I’m thinking of making it a regular feature of our lives: no spending on Thursdays, for example. I’m not sure everyone will follow in my house, but the idea is such a great one. I also think that tracking each penny is a drag, but I have gotten us in the habit of getting a receipt for everything we spend from a dollar to any amount. Then, we have a little (nice-looking) box that we put it in and I go through it and put it on the software. My husband and I have become very aware of our spending through this method and, we’re a bit competitive, so we try to spend a bit less all the time. Great suggestions. Thanks for the tips.

]]> By: mapgirl http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-18256 mapgirl Sun, 27 Aug 2006 14:38:04 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-18256 Ah #4. The debate over debit vs. credit. Truth is that debit cards generally have LESS fraud protection than credit cards. Of course, I've been spending more and more on debit card lately to try and move away from using credit and pay my cards down, but there is some concern about the fewer protections on debit cards. Ah #4. The debate over debit vs. credit. Truth is that debit cards generally have LESS fraud protection than credit cards. Of course, I’ve been spending more and more on debit card lately to try and move away from using credit and pay my cards down, but there is some concern about the fewer protections on debit cards.

]]> By: fivecentnickel.com http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-18036 fivecentnickel.com Sun, 27 Aug 2006 00:39:01 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-18036 <strong>Weekly Roundup - 08/25/06</strong> Weekly Roundup – 08/25/06

]]> By: rachel http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-16909 rachel Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:08:31 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-16909 I've helped many broke friends with budgets and found all of them underestimated the amount of money they spend on little things. On average, twenty dollars a month went to debit card fees including ATM transactions but also many grocery store/gas station purchases add fees, depending on your bank or where you shop. I advise if you are going to use your debit for purchases, tell the cashier it's a credit card, it seems to circumvent these hidden fees. Also, those daily coffees/candy bars and monthly magazine/manicure/so-called health supplements can really add up and many people pay cash for these small things, so they don't even realize the total cost by the end of the month. I find some people buying beer (for home parties or bar nights) and fast food again frequently pay cash, don't realize how much they spend in a month and in this category trimming the fat financially also helps trim the literal fat. I’ve helped many broke friends with budgets and found all of them underestimated the amount of money they spend on little things. On average, twenty dollars a month went to debit card fees including ATM transactions but also many grocery store/gas station purchases add fees, depending on your bank or where you shop. I advise if you are going to use your debit for purchases, tell the cashier it’s a credit card, it seems to circumvent these hidden fees. Also, those daily coffees/candy bars and monthly magazine/manicure/so-called health supplements can really add up and many people pay cash for these small things, so they don’t even realize the total cost by the end of the month. I find some people buying beer (for home parties or bar nights) and fast food again frequently pay cash, don’t realize how much they spend in a month and in this category trimming the fat financially also helps trim the literal fat.

]]> By: mfred http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-16623 mfred Wed, 23 Aug 2006 01:15:12 +0000 http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/7-strategies-to-help-you-stick-to-your-budget.html#comment-16623 Some good ideas... I would just ammend #4... use a debit card. You'll get all the beneifits of an electronic record of all your transactions and you don't have to work out the timing of those credit card payments. i.e. your paying in September for groceries you bought in August and your checking account never really gives you the bottom line. I also find that if I open that spreadsheet every day and key in yesterdays spending that its pretty easy to maintain. I also put my goal in a separate column and have it be the result of my income less the sum of budgeted items and spent money for the month. Then I keep tweeking the budgeted items to get what I need, or want the most, and still hit my goal. Some good ideas… I would just ammend #4… use a debit card. You’ll get all the beneifits of an electronic record of all your transactions and you don’t have to work out the timing of those credit card payments. i.e. your paying in September for groceries you bought in August and your checking account never really gives you the bottom line. I also find that if I open that spreadsheet every day and key in yesterdays spending that its pretty easy to maintain. I also put my goal in a separate column and have it be the result of my income less the sum of budgeted items and spent money for the month. Then I keep tweeking the budgeted items to get what I need, or want the most, and still hit my goal.

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