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tips on budgetting

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Hello my fellow VJer's....any tips on how to budget household expenses?...I want to help my husband while I'm not employed yet by spending money wisely :).

K1 Timeline

02/26/2007 - Filed I-129F

03/08/2007 - NOA1

06/05/2007 - NOA2

09/10/2007 - Interview

09/13/2007 - Visa Received

12/14/2007 - Flight to USA, POE-LAX

02/22/2008 - Wedding Date

AOS

05/29/2008 - I-485 received at Chicago Lockbox

06/19/2008 - Biometrics

08/25/2008 - Card production ordered

08/30/2008 - Green Card received

ROC

07/15/2010 - Mailed I-751 to CSC

07/19/2010 - NOA1

07/21/2010 - Check cleared

08/11/2010 - Biometrics

08/24/2010 - Card production ordered

08/27/2010 - Approval notice received

08/30/2010 - Green card received

N400 - Naturalization

08/08/2011 - Mailed N400 to Phoenix, AZ lockbox

08/12/2011 - NOA

08/15/2011 - Check cashed

09/07/2011 - Biometrics

09/09/2011 - Case status update - In line for testing & interview

09/13/2011 - Case status update - Interview scheduled

09/16/2011 - Interview appointment letter received from the mail

10/31/2011 - Test/Interview - Passed

12/07/2011 - In line for Oath Ceremony Scheduling

01/27/2012 - Oath Ceremony

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Add up all of your needs: mortgage/rent, savings, car payment, insurance, utilities, food, gas and so forth.

Analyze this total against available income.

The resulting balance, is what you use to take care of "wants": Eating out, shopping, charitable contributions and so forth.

This plan surmises that retirement funds and investments are "pre-tax" deductions.

If, by chance there are funds leftover, save or invest it.

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Filed: Other Country: Canada
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this is some advice I got from Nessa awhile back...

Make a spreadsheet or even handwrite your budget. On the top you put all the money you guys make monthly, followed by the bills that have to be paid and the amount of money you will have set aside for that. Then establish an amount of money you will be spending monthly with things like food, gas, recreation.

Then tell him you should discuss all the major expenses beforehand. Establish an amount of money that you guys don't have to report to each other, like if you wanna buy something that costs 40$ u don't have to talk to him about it, but if it's something let's say $300 then yes. And that you have to stick to the budget, you can not spend more than the amount you established for things that are not priority, like bills.

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Filed: Country: Vietnam (no flag)
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Find a Goodwill store in an affluent area and shop for clothes there. I got the suit I wore at my Wedding for $10. It's a $500.00 suit. $20 to clean it and another $20 to alter it and I was good!

Shop at stores like Dollar Tree and Big Lots also. Just watch what you buy because they can have some real junk. Never buy toothpaste at the dollar store! It is made for countries that don't have fluoride in their water, so it has elevated amounts of it.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/toothpaste.asp

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Filed: Other Country: Canada
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the 99 cent dollar store rocks :thumbs: you can find a lot of grocery items there that you would normally buy in a regular store and they are all a dollar... I like buying my canned stuff there.. chicken broth, tomatoes etc... somethings you can get things for 2 for a dollar too... oh and the last time I was there i bought this yummy organic tomato sauce, it was 2 for a dollar......

Edited by MarilynP
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Thank you for all your informative answers.I know now how to identify stuff that are necessary and those that we can do without.I'm beginning to like trips to discount stores now and becoming good in comparing prices among stores :). My limited knowledge in cooking is another matter though that I'm trying to improve :lol:

K1 Timeline

02/26/2007 - Filed I-129F

03/08/2007 - NOA1

06/05/2007 - NOA2

09/10/2007 - Interview

09/13/2007 - Visa Received

12/14/2007 - Flight to USA, POE-LAX

02/22/2008 - Wedding Date

AOS

05/29/2008 - I-485 received at Chicago Lockbox

06/19/2008 - Biometrics

08/25/2008 - Card production ordered

08/30/2008 - Green Card received

ROC

07/15/2010 - Mailed I-751 to CSC

07/19/2010 - NOA1

07/21/2010 - Check cleared

08/11/2010 - Biometrics

08/24/2010 - Card production ordered

08/27/2010 - Approval notice received

08/30/2010 - Green card received

N400 - Naturalization

08/08/2011 - Mailed N400 to Phoenix, AZ lockbox

08/12/2011 - NOA

08/15/2011 - Check cashed

09/07/2011 - Biometrics

09/09/2011 - Case status update - In line for testing & interview

09/13/2011 - Case status update - Interview scheduled

09/16/2011 - Interview appointment letter received from the mail

10/31/2011 - Test/Interview - Passed

12/07/2011 - In line for Oath Ceremony Scheduling

01/27/2012 - Oath Ceremony

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: France
Timeline

I recommend cutting on what isn't needed.

Phone: get Voip instead of a cellphone

TV: get Netflix instead of paying $100 for channels

Books: borrow from your local library.

Food: Cook, never buy any packaged or processed foods. It is cheaper to cook from scratch and healthier. Buy rudimentary ingredients on sale (like pasta, eggs and such).

And clip coupons! There is nothing wrong in using coupons, the savings do add up!

Buy in bulk if possible, especially for non perishable items like tissue and toilet papers.

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Removal of Conditions on 07-19-10

In this tedious process, we tend to forget that this is all worth it.

I love my hubby beyond anything in this world.

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I was going to suggest Costco but then realized that I spend $200 every time I go there.

Great deals if you're disciplined, tho.

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Thailand
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If you like to shop for cloth - go to TJ Max, Ross or similar store.. they have a reasonable price-good stuff.

and dont forget to add tax in the price you see..

Now you also can start your own garden! herbs and vegetables.. especially mint, basil, cilantro and persley.. I alsways need a little of those but have to buy big bunch which go to waste.

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I recommend cutting on what isn't needed.

Phone: get Voip instead of a cellphone

TV: get Netflix instead of paying $100 for channels

Books: borrow from your local library.

Food: Cook, never buy any packaged or processed foods. It is cheaper to cook from scratch and healthier. Buy rudimentary ingredients on sale (like pasta, eggs and such).

And clip coupons! There is nothing wrong in using coupons, the savings do add up!

Buy in bulk if possible, especially for non perishable items like tissue and toilet papers.

Yes, I'm a frequent visitor of libraries here and just borrow my reading materials from them....I was wondering how coupons work.I kept seeing them on sunday newspapers but I'm not sure how to use them.Are they accepted on all grocery stores?....I also notice that stores usually sell items by packs and sometimes I only need 1 or 2 pcs so I sometimes end up buying more than what I need :(

I was going to suggest Costco but then realized that I spend $200 every time I go there.

Great deals if you're disciplined, tho.

Yes, i learned that when shopping discipline is a must :)

K1 Timeline

02/26/2007 - Filed I-129F

03/08/2007 - NOA1

06/05/2007 - NOA2

09/10/2007 - Interview

09/13/2007 - Visa Received

12/14/2007 - Flight to USA, POE-LAX

02/22/2008 - Wedding Date

AOS

05/29/2008 - I-485 received at Chicago Lockbox

06/19/2008 - Biometrics

08/25/2008 - Card production ordered

08/30/2008 - Green Card received

ROC

07/15/2010 - Mailed I-751 to CSC

07/19/2010 - NOA1

07/21/2010 - Check cleared

08/11/2010 - Biometrics

08/24/2010 - Card production ordered

08/27/2010 - Approval notice received

08/30/2010 - Green card received

N400 - Naturalization

08/08/2011 - Mailed N400 to Phoenix, AZ lockbox

08/12/2011 - NOA

08/15/2011 - Check cashed

09/07/2011 - Biometrics

09/09/2011 - Case status update - In line for testing & interview

09/13/2011 - Case status update - Interview scheduled

09/16/2011 - Interview appointment letter received from the mail

10/31/2011 - Test/Interview - Passed

12/07/2011 - In line for Oath Ceremony Scheduling

01/27/2012 - Oath Ceremony

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Try not to make him feel like a ####### if he can't buy you a shirt or pair of jeans that you want.

well, so far i only bought socks since I got here. I bought more than enough clothes to last me a year....hopefully :)

K1 Timeline

02/26/2007 - Filed I-129F

03/08/2007 - NOA1

06/05/2007 - NOA2

09/10/2007 - Interview

09/13/2007 - Visa Received

12/14/2007 - Flight to USA, POE-LAX

02/22/2008 - Wedding Date

AOS

05/29/2008 - I-485 received at Chicago Lockbox

06/19/2008 - Biometrics

08/25/2008 - Card production ordered

08/30/2008 - Green Card received

ROC

07/15/2010 - Mailed I-751 to CSC

07/19/2010 - NOA1

07/21/2010 - Check cleared

08/11/2010 - Biometrics

08/24/2010 - Card production ordered

08/27/2010 - Approval notice received

08/30/2010 - Green card received

N400 - Naturalization

08/08/2011 - Mailed N400 to Phoenix, AZ lockbox

08/12/2011 - NOA

08/15/2011 - Check cashed

09/07/2011 - Biometrics

09/09/2011 - Case status update - In line for testing & interview

09/13/2011 - Case status update - Interview scheduled

09/16/2011 - Interview appointment letter received from the mail

10/31/2011 - Test/Interview - Passed

12/07/2011 - In line for Oath Ceremony Scheduling

01/27/2012 - Oath Ceremony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you like to shop for cloth - go to TJ Max, Ross or similar store.. they have a reasonable price-good stuff.

and dont forget to add tax in the price you see..

Now you also can start your own garden! herbs and vegetables.. especially mint, basil, cilantro and persley.. I alsways need a little of those but have to buy big bunch which go to waste.

Thanks for the idea of just planting herbs and vegetables esp that the weather is good nowadays :). I also end up buying big bunch of those when I only need few stems :(

K1 Timeline

02/26/2007 - Filed I-129F

03/08/2007 - NOA1

06/05/2007 - NOA2

09/10/2007 - Interview

09/13/2007 - Visa Received

12/14/2007 - Flight to USA, POE-LAX

02/22/2008 - Wedding Date

AOS

05/29/2008 - I-485 received at Chicago Lockbox

06/19/2008 - Biometrics

08/25/2008 - Card production ordered

08/30/2008 - Green Card received

ROC

07/15/2010 - Mailed I-751 to CSC

07/19/2010 - NOA1

07/21/2010 - Check cleared

08/11/2010 - Biometrics

08/24/2010 - Card production ordered

08/27/2010 - Approval notice received

08/30/2010 - Green card received

N400 - Naturalization

08/08/2011 - Mailed N400 to Phoenix, AZ lockbox

08/12/2011 - NOA

08/15/2011 - Check cashed

09/07/2011 - Biometrics

09/09/2011 - Case status update - In line for testing & interview

09/13/2011 - Case status update - Interview scheduled

09/16/2011 - Interview appointment letter received from the mail

10/31/2011 - Test/Interview - Passed

12/07/2011 - In line for Oath Ceremony Scheduling

01/27/2012 - Oath Ceremony

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