Can you share with me your zero balance budget. DH and I agreed that this is a good way to go when we move :) I know there are things I'm overlooking and things that I should be saving for, as well as things that get out of hand and we don't budget for that we SHOULD (ie. eating out, getting coffee - if we had a cap on these things, we'd be much better off).

The 401K comes out pre-tax, so we don't even see that. Child support is taken post-tax, but before we even see it as well. DH gets a bonus, which varies from year to year, and we usually use those to pay for something that we'd normally finance (ie. a car, a roof - that's a big one that we're earmarking since we'll need a new one in five years, a washer and dryer ;))

Also, bear in mind that this is a "two house plan" - the worst possible case scenario until our house sells. It *could* sell next month and then that extra money is going to student loans.

Our current monthly budget includes:

end of month:
mortgage (house 1)
groceries
Ameren (house 1)
Electric bill house 2
target
gas
sbc
charter
city (water, trash)
car insurance
homeowners

midmonth
2nd mortgage
groceries
target (diapers, wipes, cleaners, toiletries)
gas

Where does car service go?

See - all of that is just out of what's "leftover" at the end of the check. That's the kind of stuff I need to be budgeting for. How much each month?

I did open three other accounts - two checking and a savings - just in my name. Those are our "other" accounts (one checking is a keep the change account, so we use that for little stuff - entertainment). I can definitely designate one for car repairs and ?? What else?

Here are our categories:

Loans:
Mortgage
CC 1
CC 2
Auto loan
Utilities
Wash Elec Co-op
Fred's Propane
Wright's
Verizon
PowerShift (writing)
Callwave (writing)

Sinking Funds:
Car repair/maintenance
House Repair/maint.
Wood
Winter
Car tags
Vacation
Insurance
Life Insurance
Progressive (auto)


Charity


Misc:
Medical
Education/books
Netflix
Godaddy.com (writing)
Riverside Fitness

Cash:
Matt Mad Money
Lauren Mad Money
Matt Gas
Lauren Gas
Kids' Allowances
Grocery/ Eating out
Clothing
Entertainment
Gifts
Haircuts
School lunches Matt
School lunches kids
Pets and Farm

Here are our budget categories:

mortgage
preschool tuition
Ameren(gas/electric)
sewer
garbage pickup
cable
water
cell phone
landline phone
health insurance
car insurance
life insurance
vehicle registration
auto club
weekly offering for church
the monthly sponsorship fee for our sponsored child in Kenya
groceries
gas for the vehicles
auto maintenance
eating out
entertainment
clothing
gifts
kids activities
household
medical
personal care(toothpaste, shampoo, etc.)
subscriptions
hobbies
savings

Here are my categories:

Mortgage
HELOC
Property Tax sinking fund
Home Insurance
Home repair sinking fund

Electric
Water
Gas
Verizon
Trash
Cable

Food (I do anything I purchase at a grocery/warehouse/HFS, including TP and dog food PLUS restaurants in this category - which is not how everyone does it)

Car payment
Gas, oil changes
Car repair sinking fund
Car tag sinking fund
Car insurance
Car replacement sinking fund


Disability Insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance sinking fund for the smaller policy
Doctor/dentist/etc (we do this through a FSA)
Vet
Netflix
CCF
Other donations


Homeschool books/supplies/classes
Subscriptions
Dues
Gifts
Xmas sinking fund
Haircuts
Clothing
Entertainment
YMCA
Vacation sinking fund
My allowance/mad money/blow money
DH's allowance/mad money/blow money
Kids' allowances/mad money/blow money

I don't actually fund all of those categories fully at the moment, since I'm trying to get everything paid off except the house in the next few months. I do fund most, but I think Vacation, for instance, is optional.

I'd only put money in a category if we needed it. Kids get haircuts rarely, as do I, and I shave DH's head. So we're looking at maybe every 4-6 months, we might see a number there. Same for clothing, etc. Gifts as needed.

Some annual bills are small enough that I probably don't really need a sinking fund for them, but it's so cool to feel all prepared. :p

And I'll be adding a few more in the next few months: 529 payments for the 2 kids who don't have college funds (weird grandma was super generous with just one kid), IRA for me. College expenses for mama.

Here are my categories right now
Bills/rent:
Rent
Gas/Electric
Phone/internet
Cell phone
Car insurance
Life insurance


Debt:
Student Loan
Medical bills

Envelopes:
Grocery
Household
Auto
Medical
Stephanie's mad money
Zach's mad money
Entertainment
Charity

Savings categories:
Winter (DH is off work in the winters)
Baby EF