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Veskit
Mar 2, 2005

I love capitalism!! DM me for the best investing advice!

IllegallySober posted:

This seems like something everyone should empty-quote for a page or so.

I'm on it boss also go see a qualified cognitive behavioral therapist.


Inverse Icarus posted:

You're the one doing it. The entire thread has been shouting "MAKE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT FOR THREE MONTHS" for about a year now, and every month it's like you're discovering how to make a budget all over again, shifting things around in a shell game to make yourself feel better about the numbers.

Make a budget. DON'T CHANGE IT. Roll you overages into the next month and spend less to make it up. DON'T CHANGE IT. Live within the budget, even when family asks you out to dinner. DON'T CHANGE IT.

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Haifisch
Nov 13, 2010

Objection! I object! That was... objectionable!



Taco Defender
You know what you remind me of? Those people who really want to lose weight, but instead of sticking with one sensible diet, they bounce around to a new fad diet each month. AKA "making a big show of watching what they eat and changing their diet, but doing neither one consistantly & long-term." Then they wonder why they can't make any weight loss stick.

Those people would benefit from making a sensible diet plan and sticking with it for a few months. You'd benefit from cutting out these weird financial shell games & big shows of how much you're watching your spending, and just sticking to a single budget for a few months.

Inverse Icarus posted:

You're the one doing it. The entire thread has been shouting "MAKE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT FOR THREE MONTHS" for about a year now, and every month it's like you're discovering how to make a budget all over again, shifting things around in a shell game to make yourself feel better about the numbers.

Make a budget. DON'T CHANGE IT. Roll you overages into the next month and spend less to make it up. DON'T CHANGE IT. Live within the budget, even when family asks you out to dinner. DON'T CHANGE IT.

Ancillary Character
Jul 25, 2007
Going about life as if I were a third-tier ancillary character
When you get to go out to see your friends or family even after you blew out your Restaurant budget, you don't learn anything from it. Turning them down because you don't have the money in your budget sucks and it should suck. That way, when the next month rolls around and you're feeling lazy about cooking in the first week and just want to go out to eat, a part of you will go "Wait, if I go out to eat just because I'm lazy now, I might miss out on another get-together later in the month".

Maybe you'll ignore that little part of you the first time or even the second, but if you stick to your guns about living within your budget, each thing that you miss out on will make that voice louder and louder. Eventually even when you're feeling lazy or just plain bored with the food you made in bulk, you'll suck it up and just eat in because you'll remember how much it sucked to not spend time with your family and friends when you wanted to.

Inverse Icarus posted:

You're the one doing it. The entire thread has been shouting "MAKE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT FOR THREE MONTHS" for about a year now, and every month it's like you're discovering how to make a budget all over again, shifting things around in a shell game to make yourself feel better about the numbers.

Make a budget. DON'T CHANGE IT. Roll you overages into the next month and spend less to make it up. DON'T CHANGE IT. Live within the budget, even when family asks you out to dinner. DON'T CHANGE IT.

Colin Mockery
Jun 24, 2007
Rawr



If it doesn't matter then why are you doing it? Has there been even one month yet where you aren't fiddling with your budget? At first I assumed you just needed some time to get used to using a budget, and then I assumed you were having fun playing with the numbers, but seriously.

Your budget is supposed to tell you when to stop spending money but you're clearly doing really badly at using it for that purpose. Stop worrying about what makes the numbers look better (you're not fooling anyone) and worry more about not spending money so impulsively so you have some left when someone wants to do a get-together on the 25th of the month.

Inverse Icarus posted:

You're the one doing it. The entire thread has been shouting "MAKE A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT FOR THREE MONTHS" for about a year now, and every month it's like you're discovering how to make a budget all over again, shifting things around in a shell game to make yourself feel better about the numbers.

Make a budget. DON'T CHANGE IT. Roll you overages into the next month and spend less to make it up. DON'T CHANGE IT. Live within the budget, even when family asks you out to dinner. DON'T CHANGE IT.

John Smith
Feb 26, 2015

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN
I don’t see what the big fuss is. Sure, his progress is only minimal. But it doesn’t seem that he is quite in desperate straits yet.

He is paying down debt at a modest pace and his expenses are roughly in line with his income. Sure, he may never be able to afford a decent retirement (especially with the state of SS), but numerous Americans are in the same state.

I would say Knyteguy is fine. In poor shape, but so are many. Don’t be so panicky, guys.

Colin Mockery
Jun 24, 2007
Rawr



John Smith posted:

I don’t see what the big fuss is. Sure, his progress is only minimal. But it doesn’t seem that he is quite in desperate straits yet.

He is paying down debt at a modest pace and his expenses are roughly in line with his income. Sure, he may never be able to afford a decent retirement (especially with the state of SS), but numerous Americans are in the same state.

I would say Knyteguy is fine. In poor shape, but so are many. Don’t be so panicky, guys.

His goals don't match his behavior at all. He's one bad car wreck away from bankruptcy and one two-month stint of unemployment away from some pretty dire straits. He wants to buy a house, but there's no way to afford even the down payment, let alone taxes and maintenance. His kid's going to strain the free space in his budget (which right now goes to debt and discretionary) to the absolute maximum.

I don't think he's fine. Maybe once his emergency fund gets a little bigger and his spending stabilizes to match a budget (I'd be satisfied if he just upped his discretionary spending to just reflect the truth of what he spends, even if that means he has 500 in his discretionary and restaurant categories, because at least then he'll be able to stick to it, though obviously other posters disagree), but until that happens, a lot of his goals are unattainable.

Nocheez
Sep 5, 2000

Can you spare a little cheddar?
Nap Ghost
Maybe some more anal can go through all of his past posts where he says things like "we'll be saving X dollars next month" and matches them up with his actual results from said months. He always has pie in the sky numbers when making a budget, but never seems to actually stick to it (or plays shell games).

Knyte: the only person you are fooling is yourself. Everyone here is telling you pretty much the same thing. Your budget numbers are bullshit if you don't stick to them.

John Smith
Feb 26, 2015

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Horking Delight posted:

His goals don't match his behavior at all. He's one bad car wreck away from bankruptcy and one two-month stint of unemployment away from some pretty dire straits. He wants to buy a house, but there's no way to afford even the down payment, let alone taxes and maintenance. His kid's going to strain the free space in his budget (which right now goes to debt and discretionary) to the absolute maximum.

I don't think he's fine. Maybe once his emergency fund gets a little bigger and his spending stabilizes to match a budget (I'd be satisfied if he just upped his discretionary spending to just reflect the truth of what he spends, even if that means he has 500 in his discretionary and restaurant categories, because at least then he'll be able to stick to it, though obviously other posters disagree), but until that happens, a lot of his goals are unattainable.

Many people like to proclaim grand goals. It is often difficult to fully accomplish ambitious targets. While his particular circumstances are indeed poor, I stand by my assertion that he isn’t in desperate straits quite yet. He is a rather common chap, you know, for an American. Not exactly one for the record book.

I find his mental state of mind rather more troubling than the specifics of his finances. He equates a display of status as being an indication of his worth, by his own admission. While a rather typical attitude, it may be preferable to rid himself of that. His unhealthy relationship with his family is not ideal either.

I recommend the standard e/n solution: therapy! [But for a man of his financial circumstances, perhaps self-therapy in the form of self-examination and self-review rather than the paying form] What do you think?

My Rhythmic Crotch
Jan 13, 2011

John Smith posted:

Many people like to proclaim grand goals. It is often difficult to fully accomplish ambitious targets. While his particular circumstances are indeed poor, I stand by my assertion that he isn’t in desperate straits quite yet. He is a rather common chap, you know, for an American. Not exactly one for the record book.

I find his mental state of mind rather more troubling than the specifics of his finances. He equates a display of status as being an indication of his worth, by his own admission. While a rather typical attitude, it may be preferable to rid himself of that. His unhealthy relationship with his family is not ideal either.

I recommend the standard e/n solution: therapy! [But for a man of his financial circumstances, perhaps self-therapy in the form of self-examination and self-review rather than the paying form] What do you think?
This is a silly post. He wants help. We think he needs help. We're helping. What is so complicated about that?

Also how is his relationship with his family "unhealthy"? :raise:

John Smith
Feb 26, 2015

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

My Rhythmic Crotch posted:

This is a silly post. He wants help. We think he needs help. We're helping. What is so complicated about that?

Also how is his relationship with his family "unhealthy"? :raise:

Huh. I think I *am* feeling a little bit silly. drat, I miss CornHolio and Tuyop. Nothing seems to be happening here. Same old poo poo for almost 2 years. I mean, maybe he just needs to scale back his goals instead of scaling up his results since the latter don't seem to be working out?



Do you think that he seems to feel the urge to show off a bit and kinda take the role of being the white sheep, the one who made it out?

My Rhythmic Crotch
Jan 13, 2011

John Smith posted:

Huh. I think I *am* feeling a little bit silly. drat, I miss CornHolio and Tuyop. Nothing seems to be happening here. Same old poo poo for almost 2 years. I mean, maybe he just needs to scale back his goals instead of scaling up his results since the latter don't seem to be working out?



Do you think that he seems to feel the urge to show off a bit and kinda take the role of being the white sheep, the one who made it out?
This post says a lot more about you than it does about KG. You're coming here for lolz, which is fine because comedy forum whatever, but the only script that things need to be following is basically "post budget -> get feedback" IMO. Who cares about the rest?

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal
OK a couple things to note:
1) I haven't changed very much my budget in the past 3 months beyond adding and adjusting baby expenses. Maybe groceries as well. Why has no one touched upon this I've said it a few time.
2) As a whole we came in under budget in February, and January was really great despite a $2,700 tax bill. What is with this disaster path rhetoric?
3) Please stop trying to psychoanalyze me. "He equates a display of status as being an indication of his worth, by his own admission." What are you talking about? I never said that. I said I get a little embarrassed having lovely looking furniture. Do we keep said furniture and have people over here anyway? Yes.

Also there has never been a consensus here on methodology. BFC has argued with BFC about methodology throughout the entire thread. What does it matter if I roll over a category (what some people with their poo poo together are saying to do) compared to lessening the budget next month (what some people with their poo poo together are saying to do)?

Nocheez posted:

Maybe some more anal can go through all of his past posts where he says things like "we'll be saving X dollars next month" and matches them up with his actual results from said months. He always has pie in the sky numbers when making a budget, but never seems to actually stick to it (or plays shell games).

Knyte: the only person you are fooling is yourself. Everyone here is telling you pretty much the same thing. Your budget numbers are bullshit if you don't stick to them.

Well then BFC can't have it both ways. I can make a budget that looks great for everyone, or I can make a budget we can stick to every month right now, and hopefully gradually learn to work with less. Frankly I think we're within an acceptable margin of error most months with what we've got anyhow. March was high but we still saved a lot of money, and we just had a new baby we're kind of adjusting. That doesn't excuse all of the behavior of course, but I feel like everyone is here acting like we just spent more than we earned and dipped into the emergency fund or something.

Also that pet food rollover was in January not February. It would've been acceptable to budget $100 in March normally.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal
March:

April:


I don't feel like putting together an O/U it's not very good anyhow.

Utilities are high because our property management company forgot to bill us for trash since we've moved on. We actually cut our power bill by $40.

And April is an incomplete budget I'm still torn on a couple things. Like groceries won't be $150, so ignore that at least.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 19:06 on Apr 5, 2015

John Smith
Feb 26, 2015

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

My Rhythmic Crotch posted:

This post says a lot more about you than it does about KG. You're coming here for lolz, which is fine because comedy forum whatever, but the only script that things need to be following is basically "post budget -> get feedback" IMO. Who cares about the rest?

Sure, I think you are right on that. But drat, it sure is boring, isn't it? I mean, he isn't quite a basket case, nor is he really doing better. He is just treading water, not too bad, not too good.

Well, I do. Don't you?

John Smith
Feb 26, 2015

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Knyteguy posted:

2) As a whole we came in under budget in February, and January was really great despite a $2,700 tax bill. What is with this disaster path rhetoric?
3) Please stop trying to psychoanalyze me. "He equates a display of status as being an indication of his worth, by his own admission." What are you talking about? I never said that. I said I get a little embarrassed having lovely looking furniture. Do we keep said furniture and have people over here anyway? Yes.

2) I only meant that you aren't doing well enough that you can withstand a significant bad event. Presumably, one will happen to you at some point in the future. I do honestly think you are doing ok-ish, not that great, not that horrible.

3) Sorry, man. My bad. But you know BFC is so e/n, especially for threads asking for help. Think you should accept you are gonna lose on this one.

But you know, your general tone really do say that. The way you said how your outward status display made you feel inside, it really struck a chord with me. And not a good one. Can't you just be cool with who you are? I am (not perfectly, of course).



Keep up the so-so work, and maybe even do better. Sorry if I was too down. Just want some excitement, either good or bad.

John Smith
Feb 26, 2015

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Knyteguy posted:

I did some soul searching last night, and I think part of my financial problem may be that I do kind of like to keep up with the Joneses despite me writing that off earlier in the thread. Or at least I don't like 'looking poor'. Like I get kind of embarrassed riding my bike to work, or having beat up pilling thrift store furniture. Just some stupid insecurities I guess. I know that like my brother-in-law and sister-in-law with their brand new couches and patio furniture, and a lot of the people all around me driving new trucks and stuff are riddled with debt, but it is what is. Part of that is where I came from I think, but that's not a good excuse. That's something I'll need to work on.

I was referring to this earlier post by Knyteguy.

DogsCantBudget
Jul 8, 2013

Knyteguy posted:

March:

April:


I don't feel like putting together an O/U it's not very good anyhow.

Utilities are high because our property management company forgot to bill us for trash since we've moved on. We actually cut our power bill by $40.

And April is an incomplete budget I'm still torn on a couple things. Like groceries won't be $150, so ignore that at least.

This looks like you fudged quite a bit...Household Goods you over spent last month, why didn't that roll over? Same with Pets?

Veskit
Mar 2, 2005

I love capitalism!! DM me for the best investing advice!

Knyteguy posted:

Well then BFC can't have it both ways. I can make a budget that looks great for everyone, or I can make a budget we can stick to every month right now, and hopefully gradually learn to work with less. Frankly I think we're within an acceptable margin of error most months with what we've got anyhow. March was high but we still saved a lot of money, and we just had a new baby we're kind of adjusting. That doesn't excuse all of the behavior of course, but I feel like everyone is here acting like we just spent more than we earned and dipped into the emergency fund or something.

Also that pet food rollover was in January not February. It would've been acceptable to budget $100 in March normally.

You may not have enough time to gradually learn to work with less. Also don't excuse your horrific month with well at least we saved. People have been harping on you to get your poo poo in order before you had the baby but you didn't.



Your spending shows you still have horrific impulse control, can't stress this enough that you need to seek professional help from a cognitive behavioral therapist in order to help you fix the way you think about things. This thread won't help and nor will life it seems. And when I say won't help I mean it won't fix the underlying problems that cause you to overspend but will instead be the bandage to stop the hemorrhage.

Referee
Aug 25, 2004

"Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday."
(Wilma Rudolph)


I don't use YNAB but can someone who does enlighten me as to why some of these categories match up but not others?

For example:

Groceries: 150.00 - 9.99 = 155.14?
Renter's Insurance: 21.37 - 16.58 = 31.59?

Rurutia
Jun 11, 2009
Roll over, For Groceries he had 15.13 left over from March. So, 150 + 15.13 - 9.99 = 155.14

SiGmA_X
May 3, 2004
SiGmA_X
So you're already negative a few hundred bucks for restaurants, so you're spending more on restaurants this month? I don't think this rollover method is working out well for you...

VVV It's going to be offset by the restaurant category, I fear.

SiGmA_X fucked around with this message at 04:59 on Apr 6, 2015

ufsteph
Jul 3, 2007

You've been spending around $300-$400 each month on groceries. Do you really think $150 is reasonable?

Grumpwagon
May 6, 2007
I am a giant assfuck who needs to harden the fuck up.

ufsteph posted:

You've been spending around $300-$400 each month on groceries. Do you really think $150 is reasonable?

Knyteguy posted:

And April is an incomplete budget I'm still torn on a couple things. Like groceries won't be $150, so ignore that at least.



SiGmA_X posted:

So you're already negative a few hundred bucks for restaurants, so you're spending more on restaurants this month? I don't think this rollover method is working out well for you...

He's rolling over a negative balance. In order to pay off that negative balance, he has to budget money towards it. This is the correct (maybe it would be more accurate to say "YNAB-y") way to handle negative balances.


Veskit posted:

Your spending shows you still have horrific impulse control, can't stress this enough that you need to seek professional help from a cognitive behavioral therapist in order to help you fix the way you think about things. This thread won't help and nor will life it seems. And when I say won't help I mean it won't fix the underlying problems that cause you to overspend but will instead be the bandage to stop the hemorrhage.

Can we tone down the hyperbole here a bit? I'm sure he understands he can't spend $300/$100 on restaurants every month and be ok. They did just get home with a baby. I understand we all told him this would be a problem, but behavior change is hard. Maybe talking with someone would be helpful, but lets not act like his impulse control is any worse than huge swaths of the public, including many many reasonably successful parents. He realizes there is a problem and is trying to make changes. Obviously he hasn't been super successful yet, but acting like he has a treatable mental illness seems a bit overboard.

ufsteph
Jul 3, 2007

Grumpwagon posted:

He realizes there is a problem and is trying to make changes. Obviously he hasn't been super successful yet, but acting like he has a treatable mental illness seems a bit overboard.

Why is it so difficult to put a real number for groceries? He said $150 isn't going to happen- so don't put that in the budget? Or is it because putting the real number in makes him realize how tight his budget really is?

Also, he has been "trying to change" for a year now and still isn't getting it. That's why people are giving him a hard time.

Veskit
Mar 2, 2005

I love capitalism!! DM me for the best investing advice!

Grumpwagon posted:

Can we tone down the hyperbole here a bit? I'm sure he understands he can't spend $300/$100 on restaurants every month and be ok. They did just get home with a baby. I understand we all told him this would be a problem, but behavior change is hard. Maybe talking with someone would be helpful, but lets not act like his impulse control is any worse than huge swaths of the public, including many many reasonably successful parents. He realizes there is a problem and is trying to make changes. Obviously he hasn't been super successful yet, but acting like he has a treatable mental illness seems a bit overboard.

There was zero insincerity in the post I made. I think CBT will be more effective than anything we can do in this thread for many reasons. His impulse control is worse than most. I do also believe that behavior change is difficult, and that CBT would be the biggest help in changing behavior.



ufsteph posted:

Why is it so difficult to put a real number for groceries? He said $150 isn't going to happen- so don't put that in the budget? Or is it because putting the real number in makes him realize how tight his budget really is?

Also, he has been "trying to change" for a year now and still isn't getting it. That's why people are giving him a hard time.

He's been trying a lot of things that haven't been successful so I'm condoning that he should try something else. Fairly simple.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Grumpwagon posted:

He's rolling over a negative balance. In order to pay off that negative balance, he has to budget money towards it. This is the correct (maybe it would be more accurate to say "YNAB-y") way to handle negative balances.


Can we tone down the hyperbole here a bit? I'm sure he understands he can't spend $300/$100 on restaurants every month and be ok. They did just get home with a baby. I understand we all told him this would be a problem, but behavior change is hard. Maybe talking with someone would be helpful, but lets not act like his impulse control is any worse than huge swaths of the public, including many many reasonably successful parents. He realizes there is a problem and is trying to make changes. Obviously he hasn't been super successful yet, but acting like he has a treatable mental illness seems a bit overboard.

Thank you.

I think the thread's measure of success vs my own measure of success is skewed. I feel like we've been successful in the scheme of things, and I feel like my impulse control has markedly approved over time. I think it will continue to improve as time goes on, too. Frankly much of last month was both my wife and I wanting to get the house better setup for having people over this summer, plus a small garden, and I didn't realize just how far we went over budget since I haven't been entering expenses as often. A lot of restaurant expenses was alcohol and I already cut that out completely if only for financial reasons.

A new expense coming up soon will be therapy. I'm going to start some family therapy with my mom. Her mental illness affects me, my wife, and soon it will be my son greatly. My wife also wants to start therapy for herself and possibly for us (we both feel we could communicate better). I also want to start some therapy to deal with some recent lovely situations life has thrown at me (friend in hospital with heart and liver failure), and to relearn some stress management techniques. Summer of mental health tune-ups, I guess.

ufsteph I'm not putting a real number for groceries because I need to figure out where the money is going to come from in the budget.

foxatee
Feb 27, 2010

That foxatee is always making a Piggles out of herself.
Knyteguy, may I ask what it is you wish to get out of this thread? You put on this air of, "I have this under control. We're showing progress and have gotten better." But when people start to point out how you haven't really made any changes (or at least very little changes) to your mentality/habits regarding your finances, you go on the defensive and seem to get offended. So what are you looking to get out of this thread?

Did you mention this whole "getting the place ready for guests" or the garden earlier in the thread, or is this the first we're hearing about it?

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

foxatee posted:

Knyteguy, may I ask what it is you wish to get out of this thread? You put on this air of, "I have this under control. We're showing progress and have gotten better." But when people start to point out how you haven't really made any changes (or at least very little changes) to your mentality/habits regarding your finances, you go on the defensive and seem to get offended. So what are you looking to get out of this thread?

Did you mention this whole "getting the place ready for guests" or the garden earlier in the thread, or is this the first we're hearing about it?

I appreciate the accountability and support this thread brings. I think it's rolling along well. It can get super stressful when everyone jumps on my rear end about this stuff, but it also helps me check myself on purchases ("Would this be Goon approved?", "Am I going to catch a bunch of poo poo over this?").

Also I really, really want to start putting money towards the car. We should be in a place very soon where we can start doing that right? Our emergency fund is deceptively small considering we have a full month's worth of income saved on top of it, plus over $1,000 in other savings.

After April I'd like to revisit budget values a little bit since my wife's income will become stable again.

edit: getting place ready: Well I mentioned I wanted to start having people over more for little get togethers. Plus it's summer I don't want all of my hobbies to be inside. However March took care of most of that, so I don't foresee too many more outdoor expenses moving forward now.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Apr 6, 2015

John Smith
Feb 26, 2015

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN

Knyteguy posted:

I think the thread's measure of success vs my own measure of success is skewed. I feel like we've been successful in the scheme of things, and I feel like my impulse control has markedly approved over time.

Quite honestly, I think it is your fault, Knyteguy. The default expectation in BFC is that you want to be financially stable *and* doing well.

And I think that your *current* goals are very much more modest than that. You are quite contented with being slightly financially stable (being able to weather one or two minor bumps) and slightly inching upwards, with the possibility of doing well at some distant point in the future.

And that is fine, I suppose. Do you feel I have captured your feelings accurately or may I have misunderstood you?

Inverse Icarus
Dec 4, 2003

I run SyncRPG, and produce original, digital content for the Pathfinder RPG, designed from the ground up to be played online.

Knyteguy posted:

After April I'd like to revisit budget values a little bit since my wife's income will become stable again.

This reads to me as "I'd like to add more money to some categories next month because we'll have more money."

If it is, that's a problem in the way you're thinking about budgeting. I won't kick you on that, but this is exactly why having a sane budget that reflects your real numbers that you can stick to for three months is so important. This money could be going straight to debt/savings, or whatever other goals you might be budgeting for (car fund? saving for a small garden?)

If this is not what you mean, please explain what I'm misunderstanding.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

John Smith posted:

Quite honestly, I think it is your fault, Knyteguy. The default expectation in BFC is that you want to be financially stable *and* doing well.

And I think that your *current* goals are very much more modest than that. You are quite contented with being slightly financially stable (being able to weather one or two minor bumps) and slightly inching upwards, with the possibility of doing well at some distant point in the future.

And that is fine, I suppose. Do you feel I have captured your feelings accurately or may I have misunderstood you?

Oh I'll fully admit that it's likely my fault if there's any miscommunication here. I think BFC has my goals pretty down. I guess though March's goals were more about trying to get through and adjust to having a brand new baby more than anything, plus about 10x more social visits than I'm used to.

Inverse Icarus posted:

This reads to me as "I'd like to add more money to some categories next month because we'll have more money."

If it is, that's a problem in the way you're thinking about budgeting. I won't kick you on that, but this is exactly why having a sane budget that reflects your real numbers that you can stick to for three months is so important. This money could be going straight to debt/savings, or whatever other goals you might be budgeting for (car fund? saving for a small garden?)

If this is not what you mean, please explain what I'm misunderstanding.

Well I want to start working on a car paydown plan. I think it will really motivate me to pay down the car. We're throwing away a lot of money on interest and opportunity cost on the interest as well.

Car payments since November


That's $1,100 in interest just right there.

I also think a little more discretionary money may be reasonable since it's summer time. It used to be $200 each. I dunno split the difference $150 what do you guys think? Or maybe reabsorb restaurants into discretionary and go back up to $200 each. $100 total difference in each scenario. I'd like to explore some options here.

Oh and setting a hard dollar minimum amount on savings each month as suggested by n8r. Right now it's as much as possible, but that's a little too flexible. But I don't even know what our income is right now since everything has been kind of turned upside down. I've already got April's income in YNAB from May (forecasting with my wife making what she made last month) and it looks like we'll be able to save around $900 if May goes according to plan. Maybe $900 would be a good minimum.

And we've discussed it before, but I could probably use some form of motorized transportation now. Sigma said $1,500 which seems reasonable. But where will that money come from? Will we borrow it from a category and pay it back? If so, how? From where?

Not sure if I mentioned it, but my review is next month. I may be looking at a small raise we'll see.

If my ideas are crazy or something I'd like to hear input, too. Maybe I can get by without a car still? I don't mind walking home in the evenings, but frankly it sucks in the mornings. My bike ride takes 45 minutes, my walk takes 45 minutes (different routes). I really dislike having to leave that much earlier. In the evening I don't care since I don't have a time limit.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Apr 6, 2015

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal
Rather than upping discretionary I would be willing to put that money towards debt, too. At least then I'd have a good excuse to not go somewhere. I.E.: "Hey sorry can't go we're putting every extra dime we can to get out of debt." I want to get out of debt because I want that monthly cash flow freed up for better stuff (excuse me if I'm using cash flow as a term incorrectly here). I want to start that Vanguard account, and yes I want some more hobby money.

edit: but still open to ideas. I just want to discuss.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 20:57 on Apr 6, 2015

Veskit
Mar 2, 2005

I love capitalism!! DM me for the best investing advice!
In two posts you considered:


Paying down your car faster
Selling your car and just walking to and from work
Upping your discretionary
Paying your debt down faster
Setting your savings at a solid pace



Maybe I missed others but the reason why the thread is screaming is because you should have this poo poo figured out by now. You've been in the planning phase for a year straight. Just make a budget and stick to it for a few months. If you have more money come in then ask where you should allocate it otherwise just forecast and stick to it.


Also I'd spend your extra money on therapy especially if you're considering going with your mom, your wife, and yourself.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Veskit posted:

In two posts you considered:


Paying down your car faster
Selling your car and just walking to and from work
Upping your discretionary
Paying your debt down faster
Setting your savings at a solid pace



Maybe I missed others but the reason why the thread is screaming is because you should have this poo poo figured out by now. You've been in the planning phase for a year straight. Just make a budget and stick to it for a few months. If you have more money come in then ask where you should allocate it otherwise just forecast and stick to it.


Also I'd spend your extra money on therapy especially if you're considering going with your mom, your wife, and yourself.

I don't mean sell my car I mean buy a car. We can't sell our only car.

I don't think any of the points mentioned there are mutually exclusive. Here's what I was trying to say:
1) Start paying down car loan, or get a plan in place now when we will start paying it, and how mcuh
2) Perhaps up discretionary
3) Set a monthly minimum savings goal
4) Maybe buy a second car or figure out an alternative

Therapy should be payable from HSA.

I have stuck with a budget for a few months that's why I think it may be time to revisit it.

e: and if this is coming off snide that's not my intention. This is stuff I've been holding back talking about for awhile, and I think if nothing else I need to put it out there even if it's the wrong way of thinking about stuff.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 21:28 on Apr 6, 2015

Inverse Icarus
Dec 4, 2003

I run SyncRPG, and produce original, digital content for the Pathfinder RPG, designed from the ground up to be played online.

Knyteguy posted:

I have stuck with a budget for a few months

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilcRS5eUpwk

Veskit
Mar 2, 2005

I love capitalism!! DM me for the best investing advice!
My bad, I read that as implied you were ditching the car and continue walking.



Dude having a set budget for 3 months does not mean you stuck to a budget for 3 months. Also I have no idea what your HSA contributions situation is right now so I don't know your income with that. Point still stands I can't see you going below budget through your own willpower for a single month which is disappointing. That's what your focus needs to be not switching the numbers all over the god drat place.


Just stop spending holy poo poo you have a problem you should be able to not spend all of your discretionary with where it's at.

Veskit fucked around with this message at 21:31 on Apr 6, 2015

Robo Boogie Bot
Sep 4, 2011

Veskit posted:

In two posts you considered:


Paying down your car faster
Selling your buying a new car and just walking to and from work

Upping your discretionary
Paying your debt down faster
Setting your savings at a solid pace



Maybe I missed others but the reason why the thread is screaming is because you should have this poo poo figured out by now. You've been in the planning phase for a year straight. Just make a budget and stick to it for a few months. If you have more money come in then ask where you should allocate it otherwise just forecast and stick to it.


Also I'd spend your extra money on therapy especially if you're considering going with your mom, your wife, and yourself.

Fixed that for you, but yeah.... at this point I'm just at a loss.

KG, throwing more money a debt: good.
Getting some therapy so you don't have to fret about the excuse you use when turning people down: good.

Upping discretionary spending because "it's summer", buying another car, long term investments, and continuing to invent ways to keep lovely fast food in your life: bad.

Focus on the now, you are underwater on a terrible car loan. You have nearly $20,000 looming in collections. Your wife is not working. You will soon be paying for child's care that may fall through at any moment, at which point the expense will most likely double.

You don't get to have garden parties right now. You don't get to be lazy and eat out every other night right now. You don't get to pretend that you're saving for your future right now. Right now, you are cleaning up the mess that your past self made. And until you figure out how to buckle down and spend less money, that mess will never be cleaned up. You'll just keep slogging poo poo around from one pile to another like you've been doing for the past year.

We need a stopspendingmoney.gif.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Veskit posted:

My bad, I read that as implied you were ditching the car and continue walking.



Dude having a set budget for 3 months does not mean you stuck to a budget for 3 months. Also I have no idea what your HSA contributions situation is right now so I don't know your income with that. Point still stands I can't see you going below budget through your own willpower for a single month which is disappointing. That's what your focus needs to be not switching the numbers all over the god drat place.


Just stop spending holy poo poo you have a problem you should be able to not spend all of your discretionary with where it's at.

$100 isn't that much man. For example my friend has a bachelor party this month and I'm a groomsman. The first thing on the agenda is morning golf. One day of activities is going to eat up my entire discretionary. I'm not trying to buy a go-kart every month or something.

And what are you talking about we went below budget last month on willpower alone and that was with a newborn. I don't think that's a fair assessment.

Robo Boogie Bot
Sep 4, 2011

Knyteguy posted:

$100 isn't that much man. For example my friend has a bachelor party this month and I'm a groomsman. The first thing on the agenda is morning golf. One day of activities is going to eat up my entire discretionary. I'm not trying to buy a go-kart every month or something.

And what are you talking about we went below budget last month on willpower alone and that was with a newborn. I don't think that's a fair assessment.

You're right, it doesn't go very far, but that's all you can afford. That's what budgeting is. You look at the price of something and determine if it is a want our need, and then whether the price of that want/need is worth not being able to buy anything else for the rest of the month.

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Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Robo Boogie Bot posted:

Fixed that for you, but yeah.... at this point I'm just at a loss.

KG, throwing more money a debt: good.
Getting some therapy so you don't have to fret about the excuse you use when turning people down: good.

Upping discretionary spending because "it's summer", buying another car, long term investments, and continuing to invent ways to keep lovely fast food in your life: bad.

Focus on the now, you are underwater on a terrible car loan. You have nearly $20,000 looming in collections. Your wife is not working. You will soon be paying for child's care that may fall through at any moment, at which point the expense will most likely double.

You don't get to have garden parties right now. You don't get to be lazy and eat out every other night right now. You don't get to pretend that you're saving for your future right now. Right now, you are cleaning up the mess that your past self made. And until you figure out how to buckle down and spend less money, that mess will never be cleaned up. You'll just keep slogging poo poo around from one pile to another like you've been doing for the past year.

We need a stopspendingmoney.gif.

Wife is working again it's her first day back. The expense would about double in the short term, but there's also a child care tax credit we'd receive too.

Buying a second car could mean I can start looking at new jobs with potentially thousands of dollars in raises.

And I want fast food out trust me that's the last expense I want to justify. I'd be happy with 1 really nice date night type restaurant a month and that's it. I probably should do that.

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