Personal Finance & Money Stack Exchange
Personal Finance & Money Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [budget]

for questions that relate but are not limited to, budget planning, budgeting practices, budgeting software.

A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending.

Budget - From Wikipedia

244 questions
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Do people tend to spend less when using cash than credit cards?

I know this is a popular theory on this site and finance blogs/media in general, but I'd like to know if there is any reliable research on the subject. I can share personal experience that makes me think it's true, and there is plenty of anecdotal…
D Stanley
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Spouse wants to pay all debt in a month but I don’t. Is this a good idea?

Between both of our student loans and car loan, we are in the hole about $48,000. My spouse is adamant about paying off all debt in the next month or two since we currently have about $55,000 in the bank. The issue is that I don’t see why we need to…
jo13
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How to spend more? (AKA, how to avoid being a miser)

I was blessed growing up to have a father that greatly impressed upon me the need to save. I am very thankful for his influence, it has allowed me to make smart decisions with my money and I am currently living completely debt free -- except for a…
Eddie
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What to do if I can't trust myself with monthly wages?

I work in the UK, like most people here I get paid once a month. I've been doing this for about 2 years now (on a modest income) and my ability to make the money last has not gotten better (if anything it has gotten worse). I feel like if I could…
Jalapeno
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84
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8 answers

Company stopped paying my salary. What are my options?

UPDATE 4: I'd be remiss if I didn't update this post with the outcome: I was able to recover about 1.5x lost wages (after employment attorney fees). The advice below I followed included: (1) finding an employment lawyer ASAP (2) Counting the bonus…
Scott Skiles
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How to prevent myself from buying things I don't want

We all buy stuff from time to time that only satisfies us for a short time. I was able to locate a few expenses that fall under that category. Unfortunately, there are a few products I've wanted to buy for a long time. Since I have a discount code…
Swizzler
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Are there any financial disadvantages to living significantly "below your means"?

By living "below" your means I'm asking about spending significantly less than you could, rather than living "within" your means which of course is sensible if you are able to do it! So for example: Buying a house that's much smaller / in a worse…
seventyeightist
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Paying off debt and living within means vs. long term planning

My husband and I are divided as to the best way to handle our current financial situation. First, a little background. We are in our high 20’s, have been married for six years and have three kids. We started our marriage with ~$25K in savings and…
anon
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Is keeping track of your money and having a budget the same thing?

I check my bank account every single day, just out of habit in case there's fraudulent activity. As a result, I always know generally how much I have in my accounts (i.e. if I have $140.25, I'll make a mental note that I have $120 just so I don't…
Michael
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How to manage monthly salary

I am a 22-y/o guy starting my first job. I am interested to know how I should manage my monthly expenses. Keeping in mind that I need to pay for my rented apartment, food, water, etc., save money for future and medical expenses, etc., how do I…
Debanik Dawn
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How to help a financially self destructive person?

My ex-wife is a mess, financially speaking. After the divorce, her house that she won in the divorce was foreclosed on, filed for bankruptcy, owes money to pretty much everyone that tried to help her out, etc... Does not have a job, hasn't had one,…
NeedAdvice
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How to do the maths on affordability?

I have a bad or no idea on how to budget. We are moving but I don't know If I can afford the rent as the family grows and I need my own study. How can a person measure how much to spend on food, car, bills or rent from his salary? Is there a formula…
localhost
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Why do personal finance apps focus on outgoings rather than income

I am looking at using a money management app, rather than just my own Excel spreadsheet, for my personal finances. The way I've always thought about my money is "I have a fixed amount of income which I can't exceed, so I need to look at my outgoings…
simonalexander2005
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What are the advantages of doing accounting on your personal finances?

What are the advantages of keeping track of your personal finances? Is it only worthwhile if I earn "enough"? Why should I bother?
Psirus
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What percentage of my budget should the mortgage be?

What percentage of my budget should the mortgage be?
z-boss
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