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I spend as little as possible. We moved to a very cheap location. Our home is so cheap we don't even pay property taxes on it after the exemption. It costs us less than $500 a month to live here, not including groceries. We grow some of our own vegetables and rarely eat out. It helps that we live in a place that doesn't really have any restaurants, lol. We don't have cable or satellite, but have Netflix and Hulu. We have google voice for phone, so it costs nothing. I buy my clothes at the thrift store. Last time I went, I bought 8 blouses and a dress for $3. I cut and color my own hair and cut my husband's hair. My passion is reading, and I go to the library for all my books.
I do splurge on a few yoga classes a week though. We also have the ACA for health insurance and that premium is really low. Can't say what the next year will bring with that though.
We have a Tracfone which costs about $21 every three months. I think we live on about $17,000 a year, including everything.
Last edited by trobesmom; 05-23-2017 at 03:39 PM..
Reason: Need to add
I don't budget but I track expenses to monitor what I do. I checked back and see that I spent about $425/mo on eating over the past few months...groceries, restaurants, bars, fast food, coffee shops. I often include my daughter at restaurants so that is a little inflated for one person. Cat food is included also.
We seem to be high - based on review of this thread. We do live in one of the most expensive counties in Texas for taxes.
And we have been working/living overseas for the last 15+ years while we kept our home in Texas - and our son has lived in our house while he has been getting degree(s) and working.
I really hope we are way too high on our budget for retirement. We are aiming to pull the plug in 2 years when I will be 60 and Ms. gamboolgal will be 58....Living and working in 3rd world locations has really made us appreciate the USA and Texas !
I've never been a budgeter so none now. I know what I need and what I don't and make sure I have ENUF for my needs. I take extra good care of my health so carry only original medicare and pay copays as I can when and if I have them. My fairly larger expenditure is supplements and they keep me healthy. Own literally nothing and my rent goes up every year and plan for that one.
It's only ME to take care of and I'm not into gift buying as I WAS all my life. Give my daughter and grandkids money gifts on special days but that's it....
We seem to be high - based on review of this thread. We do live in one of the most expensive counties in Texas for taxes.
And we have been working/living overseas for the last 15+ years while we kept our home in Texas - and our son has lived in our house while he has been getting degree(s) and working.
I really hope we are way too high on our budget for retirement. We are aiming to pull the plug in 2 years when I will be 60 and Ms. gamboolgal will be 58....Living and working in 3rd world locations has really made us appreciate the USA and Texas !
Comments appreciated
Food ($2000 a month), car insurance, clothing and gas seem way out of whack. What about federal income tax? On that income you'll be paying about $16,000 a year. Don't ask how I know.
We seem to be high - based on review of this thread. We do live in one of the most expensive counties in Texas for taxes.
And we have been working/living overseas for the last 15+ years while we kept our home in Texas - and our son has lived in our house while he has been getting degree(s) and working.
I really hope we are way too high on our budget for retirement. We are aiming to pull the plug in 2 years when I will be 60 and Ms. gamboolgal will be 58....Living and working in 3rd world locations has really made us appreciate the USA and Texas !
Comments appreciated
That is per month? Holy Hanna........I hope you saved a couple million........
We held ourselves to very strict budgets our entire work lives. We over-saved. We are in a position where we fear running out of years before running out of money
But it is hard to break old habits...hence my quest for the cheapest Butterball I could find this Turkey Day.
So right now my budget is about 6K a month but that does include my mortgage. I too have a lot of fat built into my budget. 1200/month vacation fund. I have a 14 year old diabetic dog who realistically will not live a lot longer, he runs me about 225 a month in insulin and other medicines.
My food budget is high about 800 bucks a month because I have two young adults in my house who think 33 chicken wings is a snack.
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