Living on a tight budget

We do now and have had to for the past couple yrs unfortunately (before that we had plenty of money to spare and spend but due to unforeseen things that hit us hard on all levels there was a drastic sudden change in our lifestyle)....Slowly but surely though things have been getting better the past couple months and continue to look up actually which is nice....My biggest personal expense? you mean what do I treat myself to? Books/movies and shoes lol I love to read and watch movies...alot..and wearing a nice pair of shoes while doing it makes me happy LMAO

My husband and I also live on a strict budget. We both work, but we are both trying to finish schooling. Right now, I put my schooling on hold and we're focusing on his. I'm trying to find a second job so that we have a little extra for saving or emergencies. Right now, we don't have any savings because all of our income goes towards paying the monthly bills and buying food. Our biggest expense is really our schooling and bills. Hopefully, when we are both done with school, we won't be struggling as much as we are. And maybe we can afford to rent a better place, or save enough to buy a house. That's my goal right now. I also have a passion for books, and buy one on occasion, but I've learned to make great use out of our library system. It's a wonderful thing. My husband has a passion for film and movies, so he used to spend a lot on collecting DVD's. We buy one on occaision, but mostly used ones in good condition.

We too love books. We purchase books alot from http://www.bookcloseouts.com and use our library as well. We also trade books with friends so that is always a savings. We live day to day and are trying to save some for hard times. I am so afraid that our society is in for some very hard times.

I live on Social Security, so I have to be pretty careful about my spending. My biggest expense is rent, and my biggest splurges are for books and movies. But I almost always buy them used, so I don't really spend a lot. And I'm a member of paperbackswap.com, which is really great for getting rid of books you don't want any more and getting new ones with hardly any expense at all.

we live on a very tight budget..our biggest expense is our truck payment..we bought it when we both had really good jobs...now i only work part time...gasoline is a big cost also...i love too read also but i dont buy my books i go to the library once or twice a week...

definetly in the same boat here, but I have many passions and so does my daughter lol

I have always lived on a tight budget , even moreso now that we are pensioners , my petrol I would say ia my biggest expense , I have a disabled son and very elderly parents both with Alzheimer's My hubby has heart problems too , so I really need my car , I have always managed well though as I have a great eye for a bargain ,I buy buy one get one free , , don't get me wrong though , we are a happy family and we really enjoy what we have , xx

Money is very tight for us as well, my biggest luxury is yarn and craft equipment, but we do like to eat well and we buy organic local produce whenever possible. I do try to economise wherever possible, but for us its more about doing without things we can't afford than compromising on quality. We love books too, but we try to borrow those rather than buy them if we can.

Me too! I started using my local library again--what a relief! I also (shhhhh!) will go to Barnes and Noble and spend a few hours reading a book or two (or learn how to do something--I'll take notes!). Freecycle is also a great way to get some new books to read and if I don't like them, I'll Freecycle them out to someone for them to enjoy!

I used to live on a very tight budget for years with my husband and my daughter. My husband used to have to pay child support for his 3 children and I wasn't receieving any support for my daughter from her father for years. I had to pay child care expenses for her while I was working also. We had very little money left each month to put food on the table for us daily. We finally finished paying child support and now I am receieving some for my daughter. It has really helped out alot. I hope you can overcome the financial heartache soon also.

Hi, We are in the same boat you are. We both work (he full, me p/t). I also watch a friends daughter after school (that gives us a bit of money for extras) and i write freelance (the money from that I am saving for Christmas presents - i have about $50 saved and i figure if i start that now by the holidays, we should have quite a bit.) I also like to read! I get books given to me by my mom, hit garage sales and thrift stores, and visit the library with my kids every other week. I prefer to read non fiction (i am a history fanatic!) what do you like to read?

Food is my biggest expense after bills. Just beacuse I don't have a lot of money should never mean that I can' eat well. Even when I have extra money, I put it into savings or to pay back debt, but I enjoy the simple life. I have what I need, that is what makes me happy.

after all the bills have been paid, i see to it that there's enough left for our food, milk for my grand kid, and few amount for emergency purposes. it's really hard these days to cope up with the high prices of commodities in the market. with the meager amount i received from my monthly income, how else can we enjoy the so-called comfort of life. i spend quite bigger for my vitamins and internet subscription.

definetly in the same boat here,

I live on a tight budget that is getting tighter and tighter everyday. I like to by one or two outfit a month nothing expensive. I probably spend $20.00. I know I could do without the blouse or whatever, but it makes me feel good so I spend it.

I wish i new how to live on a tight budget.But i have no idea how to and that is why i am always broke...

Same here.I finish a novel in two nights. But i am picky.I won't continue reading in the first place if the first 2 chapters are boring. I buy lot of goodies that i don't need at all sometimes.Dresses,grooming kits,gifts,books,heavy phone bills just about have me left broke at the end of the month.

We are always on a tight budget. I am a SAHM and my husband works. It would not be very economically sound for me to work due to the extreme cost of daycare for 2 of our children. Our biggest expense is electric. That takes the biggest chunk out of our income each month.

I also live on a tight budget but have recently found a solution to that. Even if i earn a reasonable sum no money is left. All the planning goes in vain as at the last moment some unforseen expenses come up and eat up my savings. If i get and completes the additional work i do save few bucks. The solution i earlier mentioned is how the little money you have can contribute in earning more money for you. This whole thing is called financial management. I would suggest you the book by Robert Kiyoski "Rich Dad Poor Dad" read it fully and it will change your perception as it did mine, all the best.

Well right now my big income right now is my child. But What ever i have to do for him is to do anything. And for us to be good on money. We do live on a tight budget. Well we been living like that since I found out that I was pregnant. I do wish we didn't have to live on that type of budget but The only thing I can do right now is just work myself so i can live just alright