My budget is $345 p.w., with a notional budget as follows:
$345.00 Week
$220.00 Week budget groceries
$125.00 Week budget incidentals
$28.85 Gifts
$4.62 Home maintenance
$40.00 Kids
$11.54 Clothing
$2.77 Entertainment
$2.31 Electronics
$15.00 Education
$11.54 Restaurants/dining
$2.31 Service charges
$2.77 General merchandise
$124.46 Total
On a weekly basis they look like small numbers, but across a year they add up.
ASIC's TrackMySpend to the rescue! I have it as an app on both my iPhone and iPad plus website access. Over the past 7 weeks, I have a better picture on how this bucket has overs and unders each week, and I keep a running total in my budget cash flow spreadsheet. I only use it to track the $345 budget so it doesn't get over complicated. I also use it at the point of spending, not when cleared as a credit card transaction, so I know each day where I'm up to.
At this point it looks like $345 a week is unrealistic, but I've just come through an expensive month with two significant birthdays, so I'll see how it pans out over the next two months before I adjust it.
