Cutting Out The Excess So, I don't understand why we have less money every month than the month before. A year ago I had $10K in the bank, 5 months ago I had $3K in the bank, this month I have $17.00 in the bank. If this trend continues I will have a lot of debt collectors bugging me starting next month.

I figured it out.

I create a real budget-- using actual bank / credit card statements to determine what we really spend month to month. Now it all makes sense, here is why we are losing out money:

We spend more per month than we make.

It doesn't feel like we are living lavishly, and we used to have money -- so what changed? My wife stopped working, but we kept on living at the exact same lifestyle.

A cup of Starbucks here and there or a night out for dinner and drinks a few times a week had been adding up to a considerable amount of money. Somehow, without buying cars, HDTVs, or really anything we have found a way to spend more than I earn.

Now it's a big game of cutting out the excess in our lives, making everything efficient, staying home more, going out for coffee less, and figuring out how not to go into debt. Where's Dave Ramsey when you need him?

FUN FUN FUN.

Labels: budget, debt, money

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