Now that the year is coming to an end, think back on every paycheck you recieved thoughout the past twelve months and ask yourself:

Where did it all go :eek:

Last year I started a book filled with paystubs that was supposed to reflect exactly what I made (before taxes), what I received in hand (after taxes), and what it was all spent on.

The overwhelmingly majority of the money I received in-hand was all spent on things that were either bought for other people, or for things that I don't even own anymore. :o


Hopefully I will do a better job of keeping up with these things in the year 2006 (I say that every year), but this year I hope will be different

If you've been keeping record, how well did you do

A big chunk went for taxes. Federal, State, Local sales and property taxes really took a bite out of my money. Then there was maintainance of two properties, electric bills and fuel oil bills, upkeep on two cars with associated gasoline and insurance costs. A couple thousand went to vacation travel, a couple thousand more for gifts, a few thousand for doctor visits and medicines, a few thousand in the church offering plates. maybe another three thousand for various charities.

The rest was spent on frivolities like food and clothing.

I don't keep track of anything except spendings that can change amount depending on my behavior. Rent, insurance, gas, taxes and such are (mostly) fixed, so looking at them on the record won't really tell me what I should do to save more money. Income doesn't change depending on behavior, either. You simply try to make as much as possible maybe shooting for a bonus, and do your best job investing. So I don't keep track of that.

In the spendings I keep track, I find I spent quite a bit on food, and I can really cut the cost down by 25% and still eat well...there's just a lot of laziness and impause chowing. I find I spent a very small amount on household stuff, since I live in a rented apartment and only need to clean--no lawn work or "projects". I generally do okay on clothing--I shop often, but whatever I buy I wear regularly. I do NOT have keep a closetful of crap I haven't worn for years. One thing I spend a lot of money on and do not like to stop doing if I can help it is getting haircut by a good stylist--in my case he charges $45 per cut. I've decided that getting haircut by him every 6 weeks (free cleanup anytime) is preferrable to 3 cuts at haircuttery in the same period of time. I am otherwise very resistant to impause purchases. In fact, my variable spending every month usually does not exceed my projected amount that I write down in the beginning of the month.

I spend more on clothes than you do. I have over forty pairs of shoes and well over a hundred ties..............leftovers from the days when I wore a suit to work every day, but I spend nothing on haircuts. I decided to start shaving my head almost ten years ago and my only cost is for shaving cream and razor blades.

I can't remember where my money has gone.
Probably booze.

Well .....I still save all my receipts throughhout the year ..........and ...up until a few years ago ....I would enter everyone of them into a spreadsheet.

I could tell you how much I spent on anything ...including stuff like mayonaise ..............*L*.

I had about 20 categories broke out where I had reports generated.


Slim

Oh Lord..........

If only i knew where my money went .....

Kids,,, Having a good time,,,,,food,,,,,big hefty mortgage,,,,bills,,,,,,,,beer (does that come under havin a good time ?)

This year im gonna save money,,,the aim is a romantic suprise get away to Ireland Or maybe Prague.........

I have a tin,,,,,,,,so far its got £3.00 in it........

:cool:

Sex, drugs and rock & roll .... heh, heh, heh.