Hello, so I'm new an loving this information. I'm just starting to really learn a budget. Thanks!
What are you looking to learn about budgeting, Krista? I found this article to be really helpful: http://bit.ly/37ivMjN
Plus one for Personal Capital!
This great I just wish I new this information years ago.
Can anyone tell me how to budget when you are behind? Long story short, husband is an addict, going through divorce now, left me and kids behind on all bills. I'm pretty sure budgeting isn't going to happen until I'm caught up right?!?! Help please!!
I'm with Burgandy S. How can I budget when I'm so far behind??
I know this is a budgeting post, but does anyone have any recommendations for any money saving apps ? Or apps that actually give you refunds ?
@Burgundy S and @ Suzannah C I have experienced exactly what you’re both talking about. I’ve been there a few times. This is what helped me…
If you’ve seen the movie “It’s a wonderful life”, that old Christmas movie and remember the scene at the end of the day when George Bailey and the Building and loan make it to the end of the day with just $2. The dance around with the $2 in a basket saying something like, Thank You Momma dollar and papa dollar now go make baby dollars! I’d watch that movie many times but somehow that one time a lightbulb turned on. Only at that time my ah ha moment turned into a ha ha moment because all I had in my checking account was 87 cents and 3 dimes in my wallet! LOL! Believe me I wasn’t LOLing back then. What I did do is I took the three dimes and made what seemed of me as the most pathetic goal and turned my freaking sad little thirty cents into $2! Yes, TWO DOLLARS!
Wow! I’m actually in tears sharing this. Heavy sigh.
I held on to my $2 savings until I had another dollar I could add to it. Every time I thought the heck with it and use it for something like gas or school lunch for my kid I just didn’t. Wasn’t easy but that’s how I started my savings in my no money for savings part of life. It’s very hard at times because you might think your little savings isn’t worth it but it’s the total opposite! Whatever you’re able to save is so much more value than the dollar amount you’ve actually saved. Please don’t give up totally. You can always start again.
Another vote for Mint.com here
I used Mint for years but then decided to upgrade to manage all income and expenses through Quicken. I review Bill's, expenses and income every Sunday morning and also look to the week ahead or more. It helps me to forecast challenges and times of saving opportunity. I actually look forward to it since it gives me a sense of control.
I regret that some sales/offers are solely thru an app. As an older guy- messing with small gadgets is not my thing. They put so much bloat ware on the smart phone- I run out of space even if I have not used that phone in weeks.
Has anyone tried the acorns app?
I honestly had no clue there were apps for that! i see which ones come recommended so i will for sure check into them now! Thanks everyone
@Hope: I use the Acorns app! I love it! You can have it round up your purchases and put that money into savings, or you can add a fixed amount per month into savings. Or both! Plus, they invest your money so it earns interest and grows! I have been using it for a couple years or so and have saved over $700 without doing anything special. Pretty cool, I think!! :-)
@Hope: I use the Acorns app! I love it! You can have it round up your purchases and put that money into savings, or you can add a fixed amount per month into savings. Or both! Plus, they invest your money so it earns interest and grows! I have been using it for a couple years or so and have saved over $700 without doing anything special. Pretty cool, I think!! :-)
That's amazing, Barbie! Glad the Acorns app works for you. $700 in a whole year is a great amount :)
@Hope: I use the Acorns app! I love it! You can have it round up your purchases and put that money into savings, or you can add a fixed amount per month into savings. Or both! Plus, they invest your money so it earns interest and grows! I have been using it for a couple years or so and have saved over $700 without doing anything special. Pretty cool, I think!! :-)
That's amazing, Barbie! Glad the Acorns app works for you. $700 in a whole year is a great amount :)
@Danielle – Well, it's been more like two+, but who's counting?? LOL It's definitely more than I would have saved otherwise!! :-)
Mint
The thing that saved my sanity was You Need A Budget. When my financial councilor at SparkPoint said I finally needed to knuckle down and start bugeting for paying off school loans and seeing where I really was (so much debt that it was hard to look at, let alone do something about).
I like Goodbudgets. It's an envelope system you can do digitally on your phone or the web.
I like Goodbudget. It's an envelope system you can do digitally on your phone or the web.
I had EveryDollar but recently switched to mint and I’m really loving it.
I had a lot of trouble using Mint and Personal Capital because it would often double up certain entries. I thought at some point I had finally fixed it to sync correctly, but then it went into issues again. So currently my bank offers a financial summary. That combined with my credit card summaries puts my whole budget together for the whole month.
@ Diana L. Thanks for sharing your savings Journey. It was beautiful and vulnerable and so authentic. I like that your answer wasn't about an app for some special way to save it was just will power of saving the littlest bit when you barely have anything to save. I think it would give hope to a lot of people here who are in debt and feel like it's not possible. Anyway I just wanted to say I really enjoyed reading it and that it inspired me.
Definitely this app!!
I use Mint, but you do have to recategorize some charges as Mint does it incorrectly.
lone
