Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

Ok I%26#039;m sooo behind on bills it%26#039;s sooo stressfull! Help! I need advice. Every month our family is in the negatives when it comes down to our budget. Although we make enough $$ we never have enough to pay what we need to pay. I have a mortgage payment of $1500.00 + $332.00 child care + $297 car payment + $120 furniture store + $175.00 Credit Cards + groceries for 3 + $150 Cable - Our income is not much only about $4000 per month any help suggestions sites that might help me figure this out. Currently I%26#039;m behind on my CC payment ($525 is due!), furniture store payment ($280 due),my car payment ($605 due) and to top it off I only have a lil bit of $$ $700 to be exact - and I want to pull my air out!!!

Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

Like the previous poster said ... focus on the necessities and cut out the rest.

It sounds like your mortgage payments are too high for your income, but let%26#039;s take a look:

4000

-1500 mortgage

-332 childcare

-297 car

-120 furniture

-175 credit card

Gives you 1576. You need to take that amount and maximize it. Pay your utilities, but your cable bill could be cut in half. Take the 75 you are saving from cable and add it to your furniture bill. Get that paid off first. Once thats paid off, you take the 120/mo in furniture + the 75 and put it toward the credit until you are caught up on that. Then focus on catching up on the car.

Your easiest fixes are cable, and groceries.

Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

Start cutting out the necessities. Is there a cheaper cable plan that you can get? Or can you go without cable for a few months while you get caught up?

According to whats on here you still have $1426 for groceries plus any misc that you didn%26#039;t add on here

Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

Cut up the credit cards and cancel the cable until you can get a grip on the debt. Pay off the furniture ASAP. Avoid using the CC for living expenses. Avoid incurring any further debt. Try to live within you means. Avoid wasting food at the grocery store.

Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

The first step is to become aware of every cent you spend. Begin by keeping a notebook in your pocket and recording every expenditure (even small stuff like a pack of gum). At the end of a week or two, do an analysis and you will find a number of leaks. You are spending money that you are not aware of and may be nickel and diming through your money.

Eliminate cable if at all possible. This is not a necessity and being forced to be creative in terms of family entertainment is usually very healthy for the family. The library is a great resource for books (try reading _The Tightwad Gazette_ by Amy Daczyzn _Hope I spelled that correctly-and other books of that type), videos, etc. and is free. There is a credit counseling service that is non-profit but the name escapes me just now. Be careful looking into those things because there are some scams out there. Put what you can of the cable money to paying down the credit card ASAP (speaking of scams). When that%26#039;s paid off, put the extra into paying off your next highest debt, etc. until all debt is gone. But really, the expenditure notebook is a real eye-opener and should become a life long habit. Make it a game to see how little you can spend!

Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

For starters you don%26#039;t need a $150 worth of cable every month. Either cancel it completely or get a cheaper plan there is life outside of TV.

If your income is $4,000 after subtracting the bills you%26#039;ve listed you would have around $1,426 left over for groceries and stuff. With that amount left over there is NO excuse for being behind let alone as far behind as you are.

Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

Well...first thing you need to do is to calm down and take stock of your current situation. First, do you actually have a written budget? If you do why are you allowing yourself to spend more than you have as income? If you don%26#039;t have a written budget and process for tracking your expenses then you need to develop one. There are a variety of free programs [e.g. excel budget spreadsheets etc.] on the Internet which will help you develop a real budget instead of what you think you know. This is critical to gaining control of your spending. In the in-term contact your delinquent vendors and let them know you are aware and will be attempting to work out a payment schedule. Also ask them if you can have better terms and conditions.

Second you need to develop a plan of attack. Start with the bills that have the highest interest rates and pay as much as you can on those bills [i.e. after cutting back on everything you can]. Everything else pay the minimum. Continue this until the highest interest rate is paid off. Continue the same program with the next highest until that one is paid off. Live within your budget once you have control and don%26#039;t allow yourself to violate your spending plan.

Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

look at this website: www.daveramsey.com---i followed his plan and got out of debt. it was free!!! just helps you work out a plan and he has a great call in show. it was rough--but it worked and it%26#039;s well worth the struggle to be in the position i%26#039;m in today. debt free except for my house. his main point is quit putting things on credit. 1st step--$1000 emergency fund, 2nd step--pay off debt smallest to largest (as you pay offf a smaller one, then apply that amt to the next largest and so on and so on. give it a go. it%26#039;s great.

Helllpp!! Budget problems!?

A lot of the advice given is very good. My only suggestion to help is to visit www.myfinpro.com and download the free budget spreadsheet on their site. It%26#039;s a quick way to get yourself organized, and by the sounds of it, you do have enough income. You%26#039;re just struggling with the organization and management of your income. Get the free budget spreadsheet and this will help immensely.