Very hard to budget now days

Hard to budget with all prices going up

Gas prices are getting high in my area

It may be time to reevaluate your budget. For me a budget is a guideline which has flexibility to it. In December I will usually complete an evaluation of my entire budget for any changes that need to be made. I generally round my expenses and spending categories amounts up based on the average amount paid or spent in the previous year. I will make adjustments as necessary throughout the year if any major changes occur.

Budgeting can be difficult with rising prices. However, it is doable and essential to keep within your budget if you are trying to live within your means and save. Check phone service for cheaper options….. example: I pay $150 a month for 4 phones… I'm doing a 3 month trial of Mint Mobile to see if service is comparable to ATT and if it is then for $200 per phone I can have year service paid in advance…. which will save me $1,000 a year! That $1,000 a year will add to savings!

No cable here, use an antenna and we live sort of rural. Love free ebooks from Amazon and borrowing from the library. Have also found the library has some movie options that I can rent and stream versus having to go to town to pick up and drop of physical copy.

All my bills keep going up, never mind prices have gone way up at the grocery store and a lot less on sale

Not know

@Katharina R. Yes, grocery prices have been noticeably higher. I feel like quality on produce and meet has been sliding at the same time.

@Shannon H. Cricket is even a little cheaper I think. They're an AT&T subsidiary using many of the same towers but not all of the same roaming agreements. So a few more coverage gaps and weak spots than AT&T.

I remember the trope of the 2008 crisis that if people would just get rid of their $5/day coffee habit and we'd be fine. I remember wishing I had such a habit to give up– or cable or a cell phone plan, etc. But we hadn't reached the point of earning enough to have any of those things. The sad truth is, you can be cautious and prudent with money and still struggle with the budget sometimes– especially when prices have already been going up faster than wages.

Everything is expensive & lost of jobs makes it hard to save.

Feel like taking one step forward and three back

@Katharina R.
I remember the trope of the 2008 crisis that if people would just get rid of their $5/day coffee habit and we'd be fine. I remember wishing I had such a habit to give up– or cable or a cell phone plan, etc. But we hadn't reached the point of earning enough to have any of those things. The sad truth is, you can be cautious and prudent with money and still struggle with the budget sometimes– especially when prices have already been going up faster than wages.

Happy I've also never has the coffee habit… and we gave up cable when the bill reached $100 a month for just basic service which was outrageous. I'm fortunate that I'm employed in a job that reimburses me for the internet or I'm not sure I would spend $90 a month on my own for internet.

@Katharina R.
I remember the trope of the 2008 crisis that if people would just get rid of their $5/day coffee habit and we'd be fine. I remember wishing I had such a habit to give up– or cable or a cell phone plan, etc. But we hadn't reached the point of earning enough to have any of those things. The sad truth is, you can be cautious and prudent with money and still struggle with the budget sometimes– especially when prices have already been going up faster than wages.

Happy I've also never has the coffee habit… and we gave up cable when the bill reached $100 a month for just basic service which was outrageous. I'm fortunate that I'm employed in a job that reimburses me for the internet or I'm not sure I would spend $90 a month on my own for internet.

I don't think it's particularly helpful to demonize specific expenses, e.g. coffee, avocado toast, etc., with the idea that if you just avoid spending money on those few things, you can get rich. Spending needs to be assessed as a whole, and decisions on what to spend your money on need to be based on personal values. When you buy something, you're making a choice that the item is worth more than the money it costs and everything else for which that money could be used. So if a daily $5 cup of coffee makes you happy, go for it. But understand that you may have to cut back spending in other areas as a result.

Sorry if you think we were demonizing specific expenses…. it was more poking fun at the concept that if you cut out the $5 daily coffee then your money problems would be solved.

I've never had coffee habit but I did smoke and it was eye-opening when I quit how much money I spent. Getting rid of some habits like cable and smoking for me, really allowed me reallocate money to other areas like daughter's education and my retirement. Cutting these from my budget did not solve my money issues but it did allow me to look at my budget with a new perspective.

@Shannon H., I wasn't criticizing you or anyone here. Rather, it just doesn't seem helpful to me when financial gurus the likes of Suze Orman demonize specific spending habits with the implication being that avoiding those expenses, as you noted, would solve all money issues. Personal finance is not a one-size-fits-all proposition, and it does a disservice to readers when so-called experts treat it that way.

I agree. It is definitely harder to budget especially not knowing where or when your next paycheck is coming and everything is going up.

Save a Little out of each check..

no money to budget here…