Spreadsheet Mania
Trying to save money is difficult, especially when it seems that everyone else is trying to get you to spend it. Finding sites that offer to help you save money is easy. The thing is though, you have to pay for it. They have books, newsletters, and emails all full of helpful advice and tips, but you have to buy them. I know it takes money to make money, but I'm really trying to save. Besides, if it took spending money to make money, I'd be a gazillionaire. There are some tips that were free, some weird and others very funny. One tip a lot of them had in common was the use of a budget.
One of the first things that we did to save money was make and use a realistic budget.
The next was to use a list when shopping.
Budgets are easy, to make that is. Keeping to a budget is very difficult so making a realistic budget is important. We have to remember to include items that don't occurr on a monthly basis; car insurance, property taxes, income taxes, family vacations (wouldn't that be nice if it were a monthly occurrance!).
We have a Monthly Budget spreadsheet, with entries for expenses, deposits, etc. It looks good, but I don't keep it up to date as much as I would like. I try, but all those debit card transactions are a pain to enter. It does however remind us of upcoming expenses, so we can curtail spending.
Then there is the Grocery Shopping spreadsheet. Now that one is useful. It took a while to put together, but shopping now is easier. Sticking to a list and not deviating from it can help avoid unnecessary spending. The template has all the items listed and the price. By entering the quantity can see before hand how much it is going to cost. Our list is three pages but we don't buy EVERYTHING on the list, it's there for when we do need it. Also it's a great way to check if you're forgetting something.
Then we have a fun one, the Christmas List spreadsheet. Sticking to a certain dollar figure . . . not so much fun. It keeps all the Christmas lists, budget, items ordered, purchased and received, all in one, making it easy to get organized (staying organized is another matter). We did go overbudget on this on, so what else is new?
When I first learned about spreadsheets 20 years or so ago (I was a child at the time. . . yeh right), I thought they were amazing and difficult. I still think they are great and with a little practice they are not so difficult. I make them all the time. Maybe I should make a new spreadsheet, one for keeping track of money that I saved or didn't spend.
Saxie Mom
One of the first things that we did to save money was make and use a realistic budget.
The next was to use a list when shopping.
Budgets are easy, to make that is. Keeping to a budget is very difficult so making a realistic budget is important. We have to remember to include items that don't occurr on a monthly basis; car insurance, property taxes, income taxes, family vacations (wouldn't that be nice if it were a monthly occurrance!).
We have a Monthly Budget spreadsheet, with entries for expenses, deposits, etc. It looks good, but I don't keep it up to date as much as I would like. I try, but all those debit card transactions are a pain to enter. It does however remind us of upcoming expenses, so we can curtail spending.
Then there is the Grocery Shopping spreadsheet. Now that one is useful. It took a while to put together, but shopping now is easier. Sticking to a list and not deviating from it can help avoid unnecessary spending. The template has all the items listed and the price. By entering the quantity can see before hand how much it is going to cost. Our list is three pages but we don't buy EVERYTHING on the list, it's there for when we do need it. Also it's a great way to check if you're forgetting something.
Then we have a fun one, the Christmas List spreadsheet. Sticking to a certain dollar figure . . . not so much fun. It keeps all the Christmas lists, budget, items ordered, purchased and received, all in one, making it easy to get organized (staying organized is another matter). We did go overbudget on this on, so what else is new?
When I first learned about spreadsheets 20 years or so ago (I was a child at the time. . . yeh right), I thought they were amazing and difficult. I still think they are great and with a little practice they are not so difficult. I make them all the time. Maybe I should make a new spreadsheet, one for keeping track of money that I saved or didn't spend.
Saxie Mom
Labels: budgets, Christmas, groceries, saving money, spreadsheets
posted by GoalieMom | 2:01 AM
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