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Home › Articles › General Family Finance › The Basics of Budgeting

The Basics of Budgeting

A Family Budget Doesn't Have to Hurt

By Debora Geary

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  • Groceries: This is a big-ticket item in most family budgets and one that we have more control over than we often think. "I've helped my grocery budget by always going with a list, shopping once a month, and now we even write on the calendar what we're having for dinner each night of the month before we go to the store," Kight says. "It's flexible, of course, but I always know that I'll have the ingredients for whatever we're having that month. Just going from bi-weekly to monthly has cut our grocery budget in half, with another short trip the middle of the month for milk, bread, etc. – the small stuff." Mauel also says that keeping a list is central to keeping grocery spending under control. "I buy only what is on the list unless I see something that it is an absolute necessity," she says. That probably helps with family weight control, too, eliminating all those impulse purchases of ice cream and potato chips!"
  • Kid Necessities: There are basic monthly expenses that come with having kids, and Kight recommends thinking ahead, not just shopping for your immediate needs. "I've figured out about how many pull-ups we go through each month, and I buy some every payday, whether I need them that minute or not," she says. "We've never had an emergency where we had to run to the store in the middle of the night because I ran out – they're just always here!" Plus, when you really need those middle-of-the-night diapers, they're not likely to be on sale. This might sound a little tedious, but both moms think it is well worth it. "When we spend smart on things that we need, we are able to have more left over to do fun things," Mauel says.
Beyond the Basics
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