Budgeting

Did you know that more than a third of American households are inhabited by renters? For those tenants, navigating the relationship with a landlord can be tricky. But renter's have rights (they vary by state and local jurisdiction). Learn more about general renter's rights , and learn tactics for negotiating lower rent (yes, it's possible!). And be sure to check out the interactive graphic below to see the cost of renting across the U.S. We want to know: How much of your income goes to rent...Read More...

Hi, I have ADD and am very impulsive when it comes to spending and buying things. As a consequence, my bills are a disaster! Is there anyone that can help me with this impulsiveness and getting myself on a better track? Thank you, DeniseRead More...

Between staying home all the time and fears of losing my job during a global pandemic, I was able to save a lot of money last year. Thankfully, I stayed employed throughout everything, and even managed to pay off all my credit card and student loan debt. But now that the world is opening up and I'm vaccinated, I've definitely finding myself spending more money instead of saving it. I've been going out shopping and visiting with friends and family. While I don't want to go back to the...Read More...

I was curious if anyone else feels guilt or a sense of shame when spending money on a nice to have, "fun" experience or thing? I see this come up in some of my circles where money is spent but then after the initial high of the new thing wears off, there is a lingering sense of guilt as one wonders if that money could have been spent better elsewhere. I know we're all financially-minded here, so I'd be curious to get your take. Do you feel guilt or shame about spending money on fun things?Read More...

Been a bit since I have posted but wanted to stop in and share some happy news. My wife and I are expecting our first child in September and we are both beyond excited! Of course, with baby on the way, its never too early to start planning financially. What tips do you have when it comes to budgeting for baby's needs? This is all new territory for me so any tips or advice is much appreciated. Since my wife works at a school, we will be able to get a 50% discount on childcare which will be...Read More...

Today I am sitting at a coffee shop working away on my computer before I head to my job. But instead of purchasing a coffee from the shop, I brought my own coffee from home. Why you may ask? Because a cup of coffee can cost upwards of $5. I am a huge coffee drinker but $5 cups of coffee tend to add up over time and before you know it, you have spent quite a bit on a cup of jo! I have started coming here regularly and have noticed there are people who come in every morning to buy a cup of...Read More...

It took me years, loss of dollars, and budget shortfalls to learn, I was causing my own pain. Granted, I was doing what I was taught, what we were all taught. But, regardless, it wasn't working in my favor. I had nice things, and what looked like from the outside a nice life, but I was struggling. Finally, I admitted that my finances were a mess and I went looking for help. Through research, classes, conversations, and more research I found answers. But the thing that was staring me right in...Read More...

I'm working on an article about food deserts: areas where there's limited access to fresh food. It's making me think more about those trips to the grocery store that I take almost on autopilot. Did you know that just 10 years ago, more than 2 million Americans who didn't own cars also didn't have a grocery store closer than one mile away? I gripe about doing this weekly task, but when it comes down to it, it's not a strenuous one for me to complete. I'm curious how far you go to do your...Read More...

I was just reading the article about 5 reasons you should budget and want to say that for variable expenses, i.e. utilities, you can go on a budget payment plan with the utility company so that expense will be fixed each month.Read More...

I use a debit card and paper checks. I have a huge goal to sell my current home and build/buy a new one before December, 2020. So I made a index card with what my debt kill amount is, how much I want to save for a larger downpayment to REMIND myself that i DO NOT need to buy anything but food and things I need to fix up the old house. Having that reminder (stuck one on my cell phone and one on my laptop) too avoid impulse buys! Wish me luck.Read More...

Hi all! I’m new here but was hoping I could get some good advice from others who have been in my shoes. I have never been good at saving money/budgeting and I’m a server meaning the bulk of my income is cash which I have on me at all times. I make decent money but I have no idea where it all goes!! And before I know it I’m struggling to pay my bills each month because I wait until the last minute and then I don’t know where my money has all gone!!? Any tips/suggestions on budgeting for ...Read More...

In January this year, I was very certain my career was going to climb a few steps higher. I had perfected my LinkedIn profile and was interacting with enough people on social media to reap the benefits of connecting with professionals in my field. February proved to me that I was not wrong. I received a call at the end of the month of an old employer whom I had worked with on a freelance basis. This person, whom I should mention here I have always been on very good work terms with, offered...Read More...

Consider a spending fast every few months to stop all unnecessary money and to put the money in your bank. Know the sales cycle, so you know the best time to purchase every item. Consider shopping at consignment shops and thrift stores to save money .Read More...

Due to the Coronavirus we all have been affected one way or another! With a lot of extra time on my hands I began to explore my spending habits especially on unnecessary bills. Many accounts that I have are willing to suspend payments or make some type alteration to help during these trying times. I started with the cable company because we hear more complaints about inconsistent pricing in services. It’s weird, cable companies are willing to lose your business by being an existing customer...Read More...

Hi everyone — I've been thinking a lot about getting a pet. Here's the thing, with the exception of short stint of three fish, I've never actually had a pet before. I saw a beautiful poodle up for adoption the other day. He's three, super sweet and smart, and seems like a great first pet. With that said, I am wary of the maintenance and costs that come along with pet ownership. For my dog moms/dads out there, how much do you budget for your pets? What's been the biggest surprise expense?Read More...

Title says it all.Read More...

As a mom of 3, I usually do not participate in most school fundraisers, but still feel guilty. Does anyone set this into their budgeting?Read More...

I am a budget beginner. Where can I get a graph? Thank,youRead More...

when i see a product i need i purchase it i then get home email the manufacturer tell them i like there product ask them for cuopons give them my name and address and them to mail it to meRead More...

Last year I started budgeting for the first time. It was confusing to figure out at first, and also scary to see all those categories and spending limits. But after a few months, it became second nature to write out the budget and go through the statements at the end of the month to make sure these budgets were held in place. When I first started with our budgets last year I found a printable budget that had some static categories (rent, groceries, travel, etc) but this year I wanted to find...Read More...

I really need some ideas of where to start? I am a beginner. Thank you.Read More...

Hello everyone, We are one month away from Easter and even though there are concerns about the coronavirus – I don’t think many of us are planning to cancel the celebration. So I wanted to do a small study here about what people generally buy at Easter. There is plenty of data on the internet and I have gathered some extremely fascinating Easter statistics myself. Still, I want to know what my Pennyhoarderers will be buying before April 12 so I can get the latest numbers. Here is a simple...Read More...

My son’s 11th birthday is coming up and I am thinking about inviting around 15-20 people including neighbors and his friends. I usually order Happy Meals from McDonald's but this year, I have decided to cook at home to save some money. I am thinking of ham and cheese sandwiches and pudding for dessert. Do you have any other interesting suggestions?Read More...

I would like to get a consensus here. Who pays all of their bills (including rent/mortgage) on the same day of the month versus spreading out over the course of the month? (Ex. paying rent/mortgage on the first and the remaining bills on the 15th). I imagine this has a lot to do with paycheck cycles and I can see the convenience of the former but there are advantages to the latter from a cashflow perspective for those who may be living paycheck-to-paycheck.Read More...

For the New Year I decided to finally lose those pesky 25 pounds. Rather than going on any specific diet I decided to rein in my portion sizes and reduce my calorie count. So far it's working since I'm down 5 pounds. Only 20 more to go! I was a total Starbucks junkie before changing my eating habits. Now I've been going only like once a week since I don't want to use up my daily calories on drinks. It's been helping me a lot! Not only is it helping my waistline, it's helping my budget. Has...Read More...

Hi everybody I just read the last PH newsletter, in particular the article about couples creating positive meetings about their budget. I'm trying to figure out the most effective way to teach my 12 year old son who is both a hard worker, very desirous of earning, saving,spending, money + *bonus* he loves Math. Much of his amped desire to earn has been gleaned over the last 9 months through a video game plays that reward through "monetary" points. It has its pros and cons and of course our...Read More...