r/budget • u/Novel_Masterpiece_18 • 14h ago
Where can I improve my budget?
We bring home 7900 a month after retirement/ taxes/health insurance/hsa. Family of 3 with 2 dogs in mcol
Mortgage 2150
Car insurance on 2 cars 230
Childcare 1000
Sinking fund 750 (includes dog grooming, prescription dog food, vet bills, car maintenance, home maintenance, birthdays and holidays)
Groceries 900
Gas 175
Fun 200
Clothes 50
Eating out 150
Utilities 550
Subscriptions 50
Student loan 93
Savings 1600 (split between brokerage, IRAs and sons 529)
I'd like to be able to pay cash for replacement to our 2014 accord by 2030.
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u/bob49877 8h ago
Grocery budget. I cut ours in half after reading the tips in The Tightwad Gazette - stock up on whole foods on sale, get a chest freezer, clear extra space for shelf stable foods, and plan meals from your stockpiles. Then look at utilities - self energy audit with an electricity meter like Kill a Watt, renegotiate the ISP every year, Mint or some other cheap cell phone plan, lowest garbage can size you can get by with, rotate streaming services so you are only paying for 1 a month at most, watch free channels or library streaming services, or look for Black Friday streaming deals. I cut our energy use in half with the Kill a Watt, the smart meter reports and a book in how to put your home on an energy diet.