I can breathe a little sigh of relief because our health insurance won't eat us out of house and home. I hope.

I love looking at people's budgets, everyones is so different depending on their situation. So figured I Would share it in all its ugliness.

Updated #s:

Income: $60k+ (+ if lucky anyway, this is still the big unknown)

Expenses:
Property Tax $4300
Auto Insurance $1800 (should go down woohoo)
Home/Flood Ins $1500
Life Insurance $500
Disability Insurance $100
Health Insurance $8100
Co-Pays $600
Dental $1000 (no insurance - still haven't budgeted for Big monkey who should go in).
Mortgage $16000
Homeowner Association $800
Home telephone $350
Cellular telephones $850
Cable (internet & TV) $1000
Gas/Electric $1200
Water/Garbage $1100
Gardener $1000
Groceries $6000
Preschool $3500
Baby Classes $500
Dining out $350
Cloth Diaper Service $650 (I can hope to get rid of diapers mid-year???)
Car Loan $3000 (to payoff)
Gas/fuel $3600
Car Repairs/Maintenance/AAA $700
Car Registration $250
Blockbuster Online $240
Subscriptions $165
(Cooking Mags & Newspaper)
Clothing $250
Gifts $700
Donations $100
CASH $250 (pretty much lunch out and very small purchases)
Salon/barber $120
Emergency Fund $600 (+ $200/month once car is paid off)
Misc. $1800
(For now $150/month to whatever we want - a trip to the zoo, to splurge on gifts, or clothes, or eating out. OR unexpected emergencies, or save it. Whatever. I like having this amount though just forever we need. So the little and even the medium unexpected things don't throw us off).

TOTAL EXPENSES: $62,000

I imagine we will "find" a few thousand in additional income - gifts and bonuses and odd jobs, etc. For this year I just want it all to go to e-fund. We aren't planning any vacations or big purchases this year. Pretty bare bones. Though we may need it for unexpected things. I just don't have room right now for a repair fund and stuff like that. I just consider all that in the e-fund I guess. I Am sure I will get a raise and can maybe make that $2500 to the e-fund. For now the $600 is kind of measly but I figure that is where my raise will go - whether its $100/month or $500 - it will be in that range. Crossing my fingers...

The sad thing is I think this year we were spending another $6k/year above and beyond. We were just floating along with the extra windfalls getting us by. We have really pared down the budget.

Well it's a work in progress - as it always will be.

2006 has been breaking out pretty nice with my current pay:

+2475 1st of month
-1200 credit card purchases
(groceries, gas, diapers, phone bills, Copays, Dining Out, barber, car R&M, clothes, gifts, donations, misc.)
-700 insurance/property tax "fund"
-525 utilities/gardener/other checks/ATM/leftovers to savings
-50 Savings

+2475 16th of month
-1315 mortgage
-630 health insurance
-315 preschool
-215 personal loan

We'll see how it works out in 2007 I guess. I know my 4 biggest expenses will no longer EQUAL my second check of the month - hehe - bummer.

For whatever reason I have no idea all the insurance and property tax was fully funded in September or october of this year so I have had a lot extra this end of the year for some of the bigger expenses I've had of late. I hope the same next year means a lofty goal of $10k to the e-fund in 2007 when all is said and done. We'll see. Sounds a little pie in the sky but I figure I should aim high!