I may not stick to it as religiously as we should but I have an idea as to what goes where.
I was very anal one time and actually put it all together on an Excel Spreadsheet, complete with sums so it adds it all up for me when ever I change anything, you know, like allowing more money for gas and power or less for entertainment etc.
I also made sure that when calculating the budget I included everything, and I mean every little detail.
I have included on our budget for the subscription to the tv magazine we get throughout the year, for our family subscription to St Johns (ambulance service that allows us to get free ambulances whenever we need them, and with Steve having Diabetes and having the occassional hypo in the night you just never know when I will need medical assistance for him, and seeing as everytime I call them it could cost us $70 per call and it is only $60 for the year, then we have this service) and even down to allowing x amount each week for Ben to buy lunch at school if he wants it.
But whilst updating it this time I was amazed at just how much we do spend on things.
With life how it is for some people at present, then I can see how people decide not to have life insurance or even house and contents insurance!
I always cringe when I hear on the news that someone has lost their whole house and possessions due to a fire, that they firstly had no smoke alarm and secondly they are not insured! I don't know what we would do if we came home to find our whole house ablaze or even emptied due to being burgarled! We would have nothing and no extra money to get the stuff back. Now I know stuff is not important, yes it would be lovely to get back all the pictures and family moments you have saved, but I am talking plan and simple stuff like furniture and clothes, things you need to survive day to day with.
But having just redone the budget, it shows that we have life insurance for both of us, I have an extra one on Steve and we have total family medical cover. We also have house and contents plus car insurance, oh and I also have a superannuation account as well, but having all this costs us a little penny, which I know we are not seeing any of it now, but will benefit us later in life, but at just over $700 per month it is a tidy little sum of money that could be spent else where sometimes, but then when I think of being able to come home and know that if anything happened here we could have another roof over our head, we will be ok for transport if something happens to the car and god forbid one of us needs surgery we would be able to get it without having to wait months and months on the District Health then I can happily justify the money that we spend each month.
Do you have a budget? Does it include everything on it to give you a real look at where you spend you money?
2 comments:
A budget...wish I could stick to one, but every time I do something untoward happens and out flys the budget..
House insurance is definately important, but check your car is not over insured ... every year it should be cheaper because of its age but the companies do not remind you so you check it out with them.
We are on a pretty tight budget right now! With kent in school full time- and me not working we have to be very careful with where our money goes! I totally agree with about insurances. Health and home and car insurances are so so important. Sometimes it's so frustrating when you don't feel like you are using it- but you still have to pay! but, like you said one day we may need it and that will make it all worth it!
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