So I’ve Started Budgeting…

Heh…the calculator says “boobs”

I created a budget last night.  Or – more accurately – I tweaked a budget that someone else created.  Either way, it was way overdue.  My financial life was in desperate need of some structure.  I’ve decided that I need to track every single cent for a couple months and figure out where all that leftover money after bills and necessities was disappearing to.

I had a friend email me her budget template, and then I made a few small changes to tailor it to my monthly needs.  It includes my regular monthly bills (rent, student loans, student loans, student loans…etc.) and my other monthly expenditures (food, Kindle books, beer, the occasional article of clothing).  Honestly, I have no idea how much I should be budgeting for food, eating out, entertainment, and those types of things, so I basically winged it.

I’m most curious to know where exactly my money is going.  I’m pretty sure the majority of my discretionary income goes to eating and drinking out.  I don’t buy clothes very often, I don’t do a ton of online shopping, I mostly can’t stand going to the mall, and I’ve kicked that unsuccessful online poker habit, so there’s not much I spend money on these days.

My main goal is to have more money in savings at the end of every month.  I mean, how am I supposed to hike the Appalachian Trail or buy a car  – and I’m not even talking about a new car – on what little savings I have now?

I plan to report back at the end of this pay period and again at the end of the month and document where I stand.  That should be interesting…for me at least.

At the end, I plan to have a large roll of $100 bills…just like this one…yep.