Spouse and have pretty much the same salary and make about $10,400 total after tax each month.

This is how I have our current budget set up per month.

Rent (water included) - $2000
Electricity - $100
Internet - $42
Car + charging - $570
Groceries - $300
Subscriptions - $19
Gym -$40

High yield savings account - $2000
Investments - $2319

Fun money - $3000

Student loans - $10 (currently in grace period right now)
I am a resident doctor and have around $400,000 student loan debt. I’m planning on making repayments with the RAP plan and will have $10 payments per month during my intern year (current budget based on these student loan payments). Spouse has no student loans.

Is this too much fun money? About 40% of our monthly income is going into investments and savings.

Our ultimate goal is to save enough to buy a house after I’m done with residency/fellowship training in 6 years

I’ve always assumed glasses were one of those things where you just had to pay more if you wanted decent ones.

Then I had two pairs break within about 3 months of buying them. Both were over $200, so spending another couple hundred on a replacement didn’t really seem worth it. So I started looking at cheaper online options instead and compared a few places based on the actual frame measurements, prescription options and reviews. The main thing putting me off was the fit, because saving money isn’t really a saving if I end up never wearing them.

Anyway, I ended up getting a pair from Firmoo for about $35 including prescription lenses after the discounts. I used the virtual try-on mostly because I had no idea whether the frames would actually suit me. They arrived a few weeks ago and the fit was surprisingly close to what I expected from the measurements and preview. So far, so good, although it’s obviously way too early to tell how long they’ll actually last.

Just curious what other people do for glasses here. Do you buy online to save a bit, or have you found that paying more in-store actually works out better because the glasses last longer?

My story is simple. Tried tons of personal finance apps, they are all complex and have bad user experiences. Feel like you are getting another job to maintain it. I mean i just wanna see my money movement but instead I need to set up goals, budgets etc. too much stuff

That’s why I came up with my own solution which has same set of functionalities but done differently. Approach is “you wanna see what’s going on with your money, automatically” and if you want you can set up budgets etc but not vice versa

I would like to hear from you here what are your pain points in other apps and what do you use or how your solve this problem ?

Hey everyone, soon I’ll be moving into my own house and have created a budget for myself. For context, I’ve lived with my parents my whole life (24 y/o), so I’m trying to create a realistic budget for a single person. I will have no other debt but the mortgage. I will have a $60k left in savings after closing so if there are any emergencies I will pull it out of that.
Please advise if there are any areas you feel are too high or too low. Thank you!

Spending
Housing — $2,915.00
Mortgage(PITI): $2,565.00
Water: $80.00
Electricity: $160.00
Trash: $40.00
WiFi: $70.00
Transportation — $600.00
Maintenance: $150.00
Gas: $450.00
Food — $700.00
Groceries: $700.00
Personal — $130.00
Clothing: $30.00
Subscriptions: $100.00
Lifestyle — $210.00
Car parts: $150.00
Online snacks: $60.00
Health — $50.00
Medicine/Vitamins: $50.00
Insurance — $250.00
Auto Insurance: $250.00

Total planned spending: $4,855.00
Remaining: $1,645.00
monthly take-home income: $6,500.00 (based off a 4 pay period month) (I get paid weekly).

I want my own apartment one day, right now my mom has cancer and I need to figure out how to live without her, i work and make 14 dollars a hour and i have car insurance, phone bill and im paying for my orkin, i also help my mom with rent sometimes and its like 489 dollars, anyways I was wondering how much I need to make a hour to live on my own?

My major bills are monthly, but my paycheck fortnightly, so some months find 3 paychecks.

At first I would have been glad when that "extra" paycheck paid off the debt I used to close gaps month to month, then, when I got more comfortable, I'd pay for a vacation (and car insurance premium) with the first "extra" paycheck and Christmas with the second. Then, I faithfully "added" it to sinking funds and savings.

Now, I give myself a "loose belt" month, buying things I've been putting off buying and getting haircuts and doctors visits out of the way, taking the long-delayed social engagement ... But it really feels nice putting most of that "extra" paycheck in the bank.

I imagine people who rely on bonuses get something like this, but moreso, or contractors who get sporadic payouts and have to be very careful about cash-flow.

What are your tricks/solutions/pitfalls for aligning budget timelines and keeping the reservoirs from sloshing.

My wife and I are still trying to figure out what counts and what doesn't. I cook at a family place outside Cleveland. Some weeks tips are decent and others are thin. We've been setting aside anything over the worst month we had last year, but the rest of our money is sitting in checking. Feels weird to call it savings when it's just waiting to cover a slow stretch or a new tire.

We've been looking at houses but I keep wondering if any of that money should be in something else. The credit union has a savings account but the interest is tiny. I've seen people mention CDs and high-yield accounts in other threads. Not sure how much difference it would make when we might need the money on short notice.

I'm looking for honest financial advice about my current situation. I'm trying to make a responsible decision for my growing family without putting myself in a position where I'm living paycheck to paycheck or sacrificing our future financial goals.

30M, wife is currently pregnant with our first child, and I'm the only person working and supporting the household right now. My wife isn't working, and I want to make sure we are financially secure before the baby arrives and as our family grows.

Income

Base pay is approximately $55,000 per year before overtime.

I sometimes work overtime, which increases my income, but I don't want to make long-term financial decisions that depend on constantly working extra hours.

Take home: $3600 with overtime $4500 to $5000

I also have a part-time/flexible job which brings in some additional money, although the commute is very long. I work there when I want to. once or twice a week ($20 hour)

Savings and retirement
I have $30,000 in emergency savings.

I have around $20,000 in additional savings that I want to preserve for future goals.

I have $15,000 in my 401(k), and I contribute 5% of my pay. My employer matches 100% the first 3% so I’m getting the match

I contribute to a Roth IRA and eventually max it out if my budget allows. Started it this year and matched it ($7500) for this year

I have no car payment because my current car is paid off.
No debt.

Monthly expenses
Our household expenses are approximately $2,500 per month, including rent, utilities, electricity, phone and internet, gas, groceries, and other regular expenses.
Our rent costs are relatively manageable right now, but having a baby will introduce additional expenses. I want to plan for those costs before committing to a major purchase.

Our current vehicle situation
I currently drive a paid-off 2019 Ford Fiesta with approximately 150,000 miles. It has served me well, but it is very small for a growing family, especially with a baby car seat, a stroller, and all the things we will need to carry.
I want a dependable vehicle that I can keep for many years, ideally around 8–10 years, without constantly upgrading every time our family grows.

My biggest concern is buying a used vehicle that looks like a good deal but develops expensive engine or transmission problems. I don't want to spend thousands of dollars on repairs shortly after buying it.
I am also considering whether it would make more financial sense to:
Buy a reasonably priced used SUV now and keep it for several years.

Spend more on a newer, larger family vehicle that could accommodate us for many years.

Buy a less expensive temporary SUV now and upgrade to a minivan later when we have more children. (3 max)

I understand that a minivan might be the most practical long-term family vehicle, especially if we eventually have three children. However, I am concerned about spending too much now on a vehicle when we also have other important financial goals.

We hope to buy a house within approximately 4-5 years.

I want enough financial flexibility to handle medical expenses, baby expenses, unexpected repairs, and other emergencies without stress.

I’m completing my bachelor’s degree in IT in December this year and have already started looking for better-paying IT jobs to improve our financial situation. (Tuition paid in full by current employer)

My dilemma is that I have savings, a retirement account, and a job, but I am trying to figure out how much of my savings I should reasonably spend on a car.

Part of me thinks buying a reliable SUV now for around $12,000–$16,000 is reasonable because I can pay cash and avoid a monthly payment. Another part of me worries that buying an older SUV with known reliability concerns could mean spending money on a vehicle that I will eventually need to replace anyway.

At the same time, I don't want to spend $35,000-$40,000 or more on a family vehicle and delay our house purchase or put too much pressure on our single-income household.
I want to make a decision based on our overall financial picture, not just what I can afford to pay today.

What would you do if you were in my position?
How much would you spend on a used family vehicle given my income, savings, and upcoming baby expenses?

Would you buy a $12,000–$16,000 used SUV, spend more on a newer vehicle, or wait and save longer?

Would you buy a temporary SUV now and upgrade to a minivan later, or buy the long-term family vehicle now?

How would you divide savings between an emergency fund, a car purchase, retirement investments, and a house down payment?

Am I being too cautious about spending money on a car, or is this exactly the kind of situation where I should prioritize financial security over getting a nicer vehicle?

I'm not looking for someone to justify an expensive purchase. I want honest feedback, including criticism if my thinking is wrong. My priority is taking care of my wife and child, building long-term wealth, and avoiding unnecessary financial stress.
Thank you for any advice or perspective you can share.

I just need to vent because I think I'm going crazy. To start I'm in a lot of debt, with my car and my personal loan it is A LOT. So I created this strict budget that I have to follow so I don't find myself in more debt and to actually pay off what I do have earlier. I check it every single day, I check it every single hour to make sure I'm on top of everything. It's ruining my life but I know that if I don't I could possibly fuck things up even more. My budget plan goes all the way up to August 30th 2027 that's how crazy I'm being. I have a plan to save for: emergencies, groceries, holiday breaks when my daughter is home, principal payments for my loan, and back to school clothes for August 2027. After that I'm left with very little money each month so anything extra will be a stretch. Like GOD FORBID I WANT A REDBULL.. I'm scared with how obsessive I'm acting towards this. I'm also scared to fail. I'm bipolar with ADHD so I have impulse issues, so what if one day I fuck this up and lose everything? I'm not trying to make excuses for my poor behavior but that's how I've acted out in the past and that's how I found myself in this position. And I can't get out of it until my debt is paid.

Like I said this is me just venting as if I'm writing in a diary. It's ruling my life. And to whoever is reading this I'm sorry if I sound chaotic, my brain is the reason for it.

Hi everyone,

​I’m looking for a realistic reality check on my current monthly budget and some extra everyday tips to squeeze out a bit more savings, especially when unexpected expenses pop up.

​I live in an EU country with my partner, making €1,037 net per month. We split shared household expenses (housing utilities and groceries) 50/50, so the numbers below reflect my half. Naturally, my commute and all expenses related to my kids are paid 100% by me.

​My kids live with their mother, and we split their variable needs (clothes, school supplies, etc.) 50/50 alongside my fixed monthly child support. Things are tight, and while I keep a strict routine, these kids expenses can fluctuate (sometimes jumping by €40+ on my end or spiking during back-to-school season), which eats into my margin.

​Here is my current baseline monthly budget (my individual share):

​Child Support & Kids Variable Expenses: €408 (Fixed €208 child support €200 average for clothes, school, and extra kid need ).

​Visiting my kids: €52 (Taking the bus twice a month to see them — 100% my cost).

​Housing & Utilities: €48 (My 50% share of electricity, bottled gas, and water).

​Commute / Fuel: €200 (Daily 90 km round-trip for work — 100% my cost).

​Groceries: €130 (My 50% share of food; I meal-prep strictly for work).

​Date nights / Partner: €40 (Keeping 1-2 cheap dates a month to stay sane).

​Phone, Internet, Barber, Meds, Misc: €52

​Total Expenses: €930

Leftover / Savings: €107/month (though this drops significantly on heavy months for the kids).

​What I'm looking for:

​Everyday Frugality Tips: What are your best, no-nonsense tips for keeping grocery and household bills as low as possible without feeling miserable?

​Handling Variable Expenses: For those living on a razor-thin margin, how do you buffer months where kids needs or school supplies cost way more than expected?

​Appreciate any honest advice or clever tricks you use in your daily routine!

Got myself into a good amount of debt when I was 19. I'm 23 now and have been paying it off. I have about 500 a month leftover from my salary. Im finishing another debt payment plan off in December that is 350 a month. So I'll have about 850 a month extra. Would you throw this all in savings or tackle more debt faster? My car is set to be paid off July 2028 and it's at 5% interest. I have about 20k in student loans that went to collections. They haven't started any court processes or anything on that yet. Im trying to figure out if I'd be better off saving all the extra and offering the collections a lump sum of a lesser amount, paying off my car early, or just starting a payment plan on the collections. Also how much should I realistically put in my savings before I tackle the rest of my debt. I live by myself and have no kids or anything to plan for. Thanks!

running a pretty basic monthly envelope setup for the household and it usually holds. last month car registration and the annual insurance renewal landed in the same stretch and wiped the monthly envelope. i had treated those as rare hits so they just ate into what i call emergency.

now i am stuck on the next change. one side is pull the last year of not-monthly spend and carve a monthly irregulars category sized to that. other side is leave categories monthly-only and keep topping emergency for those spikes.

curious which change youd make first before i rebuild the whole sheet. would take the blunt version

Hello! I (24F, Arkansas based) hoping to get some help or even just some good tips on my budget, my debt, and/or how I can make it better! I've recently started to feel like I'm drowning a little, so I'm really trying to make it right and better! Any advice is wonderful, just please be kind.

💰 Income

Total Monthly Income: $2690

💸 Expenses

Rent: $350.00 a month (split with bf)

Car payment: $492.37 a month (Exeter Finance - 2015 Dodge Charger)

Medical bills: $50.00 & $91.00 (two separate hospitals every two weeks)

Phone: $65.00 a month (Verizon)

Internet: $69.99 a month (Connect2First)

Car insurance: $207.03 a month (Progressive)

Minecraft realm: $8.00 a month

Amazon: $8.00 a month

Spotify: $20.00 a month (for me and younger brother)

Gas: $250 a month

Groceries, shopping, etc.: $200 a month (split with bf)

💳 Debt Information

Medical Bill: $50/month (Balance: $438.38)

Medical Bill: $91/month (Balance: $361.49)

Car: $492.37/month (Balance: $15,607.11, 24.38% APR)

Credit Card: Balance: $3,456.03

• CAR: Starting with the car, because it's the roughest point to me. :( I have had the car for a year, and it was my first ever car purchase, so I KNOW that APR is horrible. Trust me, it FEELS horrible to see so little progress on the total this past year. I have attempted to reach out to my bank to refinance in order to lower that APR, but I have been rejected twice due to the credit balance I currently have. My thought is to get my credit card balance down ASAP in order to get the car refinanced! I have also considered attempting to trade in since seeing the expenses that come with this car, but I have no idea how that works...
• MEDICAL: I had some recent medical stuff come up and - luckily - I have pretty good insurance from work that helped a lot! I am still left with two separate bills from two separate places, and I have paid down on them a little already. To help clear that up, I am paying on it every two weeks when I get paid.
• CREDIT CARD: The main goal is to get the credit card balance down ASAP. I am hoping to pay $500 a month towards that balance, which will hopefully get it paid off in 6 months?
• PHONE: I am a pay-as-you-go phone person, and I have been since I was 17. I have recently considered changing providers though, because it is SO expensive for a phone that I hardly try to use.
• INTERNET: Connect2First is really the only option for internet out where me and my bf live. Country living lol!
• CAR INSURANCE: Having a sports car + making sure I'm fully covered on everything = $200 bill. :( Progressive was the lowest I could find at the time. I have not attempted to find a lower car insurance.
• GAS: ... yeah. It's $3.99 a gallon at the moment. I don't expect this to change, unless gas prices go down or I have a different vehicle.
• EXTRAS: I really enjoy having Spotify and Minecraft Realm lol! May delete Amazon subscription because they have not been great recently.

I apologize if this seems like a lot or too detailed lol! I just wanted to show how I was looking at things + wanting the best opinions for my situation! Thank you!