tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post2041677254571187349..comments2024-03-29T05:24:57.634-04:00Comments on House Unseen. Life Unscripted.: I Tracked Every Purchase for a Year and Here's What I Have to Say About That (7qt)Dwija {House Unseen}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17887429052179249473noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-22550424735180463412014-11-23T07:27:13.660-05:002014-11-23T07:27:13.660-05:00What I always have trouble with is when you go to ...What I always have trouble with is when you go to one store and buy from multiple categories. How do you track that? For example, we were at Wally World the other day and bought - Christmas decorations, donations (for our deployed and Boy Scout food drive), groceries, items for a party (that we will be reimbursed for), stuff for my workshop, and a Christmas gift for the child. That's like... wait I can't count... six categories! So how do you figure out how to categorize that purchase? This is truly the only thing standing between me and a budget right now.we3erneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12233831437552746701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-3127445030754257122014-10-05T23:42:25.535-04:002014-10-05T23:42:25.535-04:00hmmm...maybe doing THIS first will help my husband...hmmm...maybe doing THIS first will help my husband see where his spending goes, and come around to the geek-ish side of money with me. No judgment here. I am a Ramsey fan, but I don't do cash either. Cash is easier for me to spend on piddly crap and I can hide that expense, whereas swiping the debit card leaves a document trail to hold me accountable. Feisty Irish Wenchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00689381839029507940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-10828350218082566442014-10-01T08:30:14.366-04:002014-10-01T08:30:14.366-04:00I have been doing this for the last few years and ...I have been doing this for the last few years and it works great for us too. I try to enter all purchases on a weekly basis so I am not overwhelmed. Last year it seemed like we were spending too much in the food department so I started keeping track of every single food item and it is very interesting to see how much you spend on cheese in one month. We also came to the conclusion that it wasn't that we were over spending on food, it was the fact that kids were getting bigger and eating more. Elenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10211815518205634400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-54470404976984525482014-09-30T16:47:47.831-04:002014-09-30T16:47:47.831-04:00Yes to alla dis!! Pretty please, Dweej? ;)Yes to alla dis!! Pretty please, Dweej? ;)Aileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08992807714484812147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-47635376046663075452014-09-29T11:32:16.563-04:002014-09-29T11:32:16.563-04:00Yes! Categories would be great! Thank you!!
Yes! Categories would be great! Thank you!!<br />Snaffy500https://www.blogger.com/profile/17395524590116694762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-36441672415278284642014-09-29T06:44:27.438-04:002014-09-29T06:44:27.438-04:00UGH, this is one of those things that I know we NE...UGH, this is one of those things that I know we NEED to do.. but 1) I don't know how to use excel, 2) we're both scared out of our minds to see where the moneys go! 3) Hubs will whine and complain about it, if I ever get him to do it!<br />We have been credit card debt free until THIS SUMMER.. then all the things happened at once. Boo..<br />BUT, I do need to keep track of our medical expenses, yo.. that's more dollah bills on the refund, yo!NuthinLikeGatorMamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18338201351462861972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-78118489489192294702014-09-28T19:05:56.923-04:002014-09-28T19:05:56.923-04:00I've been doing this for awhile also - but I d...I've been doing this for awhile also - but I do use Quicken. We've used it for years, so it's totally manageable and easy for me at this point. We also do not use cash - we put everything on one credit card each month, I track all spending, we know how much we can put on the card and then we pay it off every month. Mostly because it's a good way to keep track of our budget because I can go right on line and see the balance. And we get points for everything, so that helps with travel, etc. But I totally agree with everything - we had to tighten things up considerably last year for about 10 months and it wasn't as horrible as I thought because I knew exactly where to trim. And I agree about the eating out - we can't even do the CHEAPEST fast food without dropping $45.Krishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02999838147173390906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-51638992744368874882014-09-28T15:31:58.549-04:002014-09-28T15:31:58.549-04:00I would LOOOOVE to see these categories. I feel li...I would LOOOOVE to see these categories. I feel like if I could just sneakily use someone else's instead of coming up with my own, I'd be much more apt to actually do this. (Which needs to happen...asap.)Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00008345691169783645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-1227821347949733862014-09-28T11:52:45.896-04:002014-09-28T11:52:45.896-04:00Ok, found this article online. It's a bit old,...Ok, found this article online. It's a bit old, but reassuring. <br />http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/should-you-trust-mint-com/<br /><br /><br />Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07061705332663946899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-72933816343039517682014-09-28T06:52:59.560-04:002014-09-28T06:52:59.560-04:00I SO need to do this, but... ugh. It seems like th...I SO need to do this, but... ugh. It seems like there will be numbers and maths involved. Did I say ugh already? Ugh.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09332944027749421229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-42347809548070093032014-09-27T17:17:03.514-04:002014-09-27T17:17:03.514-04:00Is that code for "doesn't want to talk ab...Is that code for "doesn't want to talk about the future"? "hates to be tied down"? Because having prudently saved for the future makes me way happier-go-lucky than I'd be if we were always overdrawn/afraid of expenses coming up.FarmAndAwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456986046128250135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-54019281255054827612014-09-27T13:31:53.361-04:002014-09-27T13:31:53.361-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Suzettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17595294800560372520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-8231764311116690282014-09-27T13:27:49.600-04:002014-09-27T13:27:49.600-04:00LOL! I don't feel like a crazy person reading ...LOL! I don't feel like a crazy person reading all the comments, but ESPECIALLY these two! My husband and I do that to each other! "We owe WHAT??!?!???!!!!!!" We both defend our occasional expenses buttttttt. One income. Kids. Animals. #grownuptime :DSuzettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17595294800560372520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-44426224749231895032014-09-27T12:45:25.210-04:002014-09-27T12:45:25.210-04:00I have the same reservations, Anita. Someone help...I have the same reservations, Anita. Someone help us!Dwija {House Unseen}https://www.blogger.com/profile/17887429052179249473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-23135889293312184882014-09-27T12:41:13.696-04:002014-09-27T12:41:13.696-04:00Ok, I downloaded the Mint app, but I'm a littl...Ok, I downloaded the Mint app, but I'm a little nervous about entering my bank username and password. Does anyone have concerns about the privacy/security?Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07061705332663946899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-74074267817066289872014-09-27T09:26:37.079-04:002014-09-27T09:26:37.079-04:00MINT!!! We've been on it for years. I love it....MINT!!! We've been on it for years. I love it. Mint will allow you to enter odd budget elements. They will say "When does this happen?" and you will say "Once every six months" and they will say "OK!" And the graphs! Oh the graphs!<br /><br />Mint will calculate everything automatically but it also allows you to change whatever you want manually, and you have to change some stuff manually if you want the picture to be accurate. I actually remember talking to Blythe Fike about Mint once and she said she and her husband have totally different accounts tracking the exact same data just because they like to organize it so differently. Thus: Flexible.<br /><br />TRY it. You'll LIKE it.<br /><br />And if you don't like it, then delete it and carry on with your mensal excel party. :)<br />Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936087432274701385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-26373429413874067562014-09-27T09:18:31.446-04:002014-09-27T09:18:31.446-04:00If you use a Mac, consider iBank. All bank and cc ...If you use a Mac, consider iBank. All bank and cc transactions download with one click. My task is assigning them to categories. Produces reports and graphs suitable for taping to the fridge. (Why should kids' artwork get all the real estate?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-49646776343185942002014-09-27T08:32:14.047-04:002014-09-27T08:32:14.047-04:00But no fancy parentheses! What are these fancy pa...But no fancy parentheses! What are these fancy parentheses? I must know. How about I going to be a proper undercover Mormon if I don't do the things??? ;PDwija {House Unseen}https://www.blogger.com/profile/17887429052179249473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-35013276557184364882014-09-27T01:48:33.700-04:002014-09-27T01:48:33.700-04:00We do cash for a lot, but eh have a bunch of small...We do cash for a lot, but eh have a bunch of smallish savings accounts for expenses we know we have coming. My DH gets paid once/month too, so we pay all of our bills on/near the first of the month. Then we have auto deductions of certain amounts to various accounts. For example, $50 to car replacement account, $50/month goes to car repair/maintenance/bike maintenance, $60 to medical account, $50 for Chrismtas/gifts, etc. So we plan ahead and really only use cash for the things we know we need every month (groceries, restaurants, etc.). <br /><br />Does that help? I'm a relative newbie to this, so I'm sure there's more than one way to do it. Micaela Darrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04601442850363152303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-45728311451983157942014-09-26T23:26:38.450-04:002014-09-26T23:26:38.450-04:00oh, dear. I just saw that you wrote preach, you sw...oh, dear. I just saw that you wrote preach, you sweet undercover Mormon, teehee! :) I was a YNABer and really found it exhilarating. We should return to that, and your detailed victory here helps to visualize it.Tiffany Borgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03027802344101689023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-47509045403378378222014-09-26T23:23:41.916-04:002014-09-26T23:23:41.916-04:00If I were a sweet LDS Mommy Blogger I would write ...If I were a sweet LDS Mommy Blogger I would write 'preach' in the fancy parentheses.... but I'm just a girl with //no regerts// (best tattoo meme ever?). YOU ARE A FREAKING PROPHET, d-double-jeezy. Thank you for the encouraging post and adorable photos.Tiffany Borgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03027802344101689023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-53052903454388362422014-09-26T21:31:26.250-04:002014-09-26T21:31:26.250-04:00I'm also on the YNAB train!! Choo choo! Let me...I'm also on the YNAB train!! Choo choo! Let me give you some background here: I have always been obsessed with money. How much I have, how much I don't have, how much I'm giving away, how much I need. (I taught a budgeting class to military families for the better part of 2 years, and it was the best job I've ever had. Does that give me credibility? Good.) <br /><br />In my senior year of college, I set up an Excel spreadsheet like yours (much less categories due to much less needs, I'm sure). I did that for a few years, then switched to Mint. I had a love/hate relationship with Mint. I don't have to enter stuff? Great. HOWEVER, it was a REACTIVE look at money--where the money WENT instead of a PROACTIVE approach--tell the money where to GO. I also could never tell if all our monthly bills got paid because it was just a chronological look at everything. So finally I got on board with YNAB. It goes on sale on Steam twice a year for $15, so your best bet now is to wait until New Year's to get that deal.<br /><br />YNAB has an app (that is linked to dropbox) so you can input your purchases on the fly and then when you come back into home wi-fi zone, it syncs up with the spreadsheet on your computer. You can also see the balances in your categories on the app (without using data). On the actual software, you can change around categories all the time. You can also set up 'rainy day' funds, like putting a set monthly amount into your property tax or propane fill-up things. We have an HOA fee once a year, so I set aside like $20/mo. for that. <br /><br />Thanks to YNAB we knew we'd be okay when my husband wanted to QUIT HIS MISERABLE JOB and go back to grad school. I got a job and was able to take our rainy day 'children's activities' fund and move it into 'monthly expenses' for daycare expenses. <br /><br />I literally have not found someone using YNAB who doesn't love it. It's got graphs and reports and all the jazz, too.Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11753603934212387119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-19074437663954701972014-09-26T21:11:47.597-04:002014-09-26T21:11:47.597-04:00I'm impressed.I'm impressed. <br /><br />Lenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09173616693453942166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-62587337174843102152014-09-26T20:11:41.829-04:002014-09-26T20:11:41.829-04:00I totally did that for like two whole years, and I...I totally did that for like two whole years, and I had our future budgets and savings and everything all mapped out too, and we paid off a ton of debt and bought a house and stuff. But then I discovered Mint.com...which basically does all of those things for you and you just mess around with it like once a week or so to make sure it's categorizing things correctly. And I love how easy it is. For future reference, if you ever get sick of your spreadsheet.Lindseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06893566321584649615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378450001604002654.post-18940451389015818512014-09-26T18:25:09.266-04:002014-09-26T18:25:09.266-04:00Gah. I know I need to do a better job of tracking ...Gah. I know I need to do a better job of tracking our expenses. We use Mint, but we still don't follow our budget as closely as we really should... and I know it's mostly my fault. We're due for a conversation about money/savings/budgeting for projects, so maybe I'll start soon!Francinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05904134944835186397noreply@blogger.com