What’s considered a normal budget?

amother

Junglegreen

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 7:16 am

amother IndianRed wrote:

Sure we live in dingy family apartment and pay $300/month.

$1000 food
$350 car insurance
$300 gas
$200 misc shopping
$300 bills (phone internet)
$100 health
$300 rent

Something like that

Cars are not fancy and owned out right. They’re both worth like $15k combined. No kids yet so no child expenses

We don’t go on vacation often

Wow. That’s an amazing salary for newlyweds. And 300 for rent?? Where and how??

OP asked what’s normal and your situation isn’t typical at all lol.

amother

Diamond ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 7:20 am

Just a couple pregnant with my first-Monsey making around 150k
Spend between 3500-4500
2k rent( includes utilities)
600 car
600-800 food ( depending when home for shabbos and how often we go out to eat)
150 bills ( WiFi phone Apple Music….)
400 miscellaneous
50 copay (work covers insurance

I only buy protein and dairy and disposable at Jewish stores.
I do check all my greens and herbs myself
I don’t consider myself frugal when it comes to food at all but we did make calculations where to buy what.
I found that when I did grocery shopping in Jewish stores my food bills were double , and produce went bad faster.
I also shop first and then make menu so based on what proteins are cheaper and what vegetables are seasonal..

Vacations we do from points we both entered marriage with a lot of points.

There are months were expenses are higher and months were they are lower.
Bh able to save a lot

amother

↑ Ballota ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 7:22 am

amother Diamond wrote:

So curious what the reason is for buying disposables specifically in Jewish stores

amother

Hydrangea

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 7:29 am

amother Ballota wrote:

So curious what the reason is for buying disposables specifically in Jewish stores

Only Jewish stores carry the affordable plastic plates cups cutlery and foil pans etc. You can’t find for that price in non Jewish stores.

amother

Pearl

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 7:34 am

Married 4 years 2 kids. Until this summer we were living in Lakewood and husband in bmg.
I'm making 70k and husband was bringing in about 14k plus some monthly support (rent covered)
Rent - covered. Very greatful. It was 1300
Car- in laws bought it for my husband when single and we only have one.
Gas - I have no idea lol husband takes care
Insurance - still under my inlaws from while single
Wifi- none
Insurance - 200 monthly - kids on Medicaid, me on my parents, paying for husband through marketplace
Life insurance - 2000 annually for both
Groceries- 1800. I would include also household items like soap and tissues etc. we definitely shopped around and only bought what was absolutely necessary in Jewish store.. otherwise Aldi, target, Walmart etc
Spotify - 12 monthly - we split w family
Amazon prime- I use my parents
Phones - both still on our parents plan
Utilities - 150 month

We never do takeout. Hardly vacation, and certainly not fancy if yes.
My parents and in laws are super supportive as you can tell and we choose (With their full consent) to save a lot now instead of partying and acustoming ourselves to a high lifestyle

amother

↑ Apricot ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 7:36 am

amother Ballota wrote:

In the current climate 800 is much closer to a realistic number than 500
How are you spending 500? Do you keep CY, py?

Yes cy for cheese and milk but not for snacks
I’m not sure how we spend so little honestly
Maybe because we don’t eat much
I’m so surprised at all the newlyweds making 150-200k that’s a lot of money. How??

amother

↑ Diamond

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 7:52 am

amother Apricot wrote:

I got married older so built myself up at my job.
My DH learns but sells on Amazon on the side.
Age matters more than stage when we are working.

amother

Rose

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 8:54 am

I spend $800-1000 a month on groceries in town (couple no kids yet). But we are often home for shabbas. I usually spend $100 for during the week and another $100 for shabbas, but shabbas includes leftovers for Sunday night.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 9:09 am

amother Pearl wrote:

This is helpful thanks! Do you spend 1800 on groceries a month? We spend around 1000-1500 but seems like that’s alot from what others are responding

amother

Oleander ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 9:23 am

We live in town and make 270k. Two little kids.
Here are approximates. My husband has a budgeting app/spreadsheet and I leave the accounting for him.

Rent-1800 (small two bedroom)
We own our cars but pay a fortune in car insurance-around 600
Health Insurance- approx 1500
Food- approx 1000
Miscellaneous (toys, clothes, household items) - approx 500, I’ll overestimate and say 1000
Babysitter- 1200
Cleaning help- 200
Gas- approx 400 (my husband has a far commute and can’t take public transportation to get there).

ETA we are in NYC so my 3 year old goes to school for free. We pay around 150/month for his bus.

amother

↑ Black

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 9:26 am

amother Oleander wrote:

Im feeling less and less normal. Lol. I did not know people are making so much generally kah!

amother

Stonewash

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 9:56 am

We live in town and earn between 250-300k depending on the year.
Family of 6, and our monthly expenses are between 15-18k per month. I dont have an exact breakdown for everything, but this includes seasonal expenses as well as payment towards our retirement funds etc.

We own our home and car, car is not fully paid off, so it also includes our monthly car payment which is approx $500 month, and mortgage and property tax which is around $3,500 a month combined.

amother

↑ Oleander ↓

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 10:06 am

amother Black wrote:

Im feeling less and less normal. Lol. I did not know people are making so much generally kah!

I am a therapist working 30 hours/week in a well-paying job. My husband is at the beginning of his career in a finance- related field. Neither of us have benefits from our jobs.

amother

Jasmine

Tue, Oct 29 2024, 12:54 pm

Married a year
From what I can remember off the top of my head
Rent - 2,800
Renters insurance 100
Car- 1100 for both of ours ( finanace+ lease)
Gas - I think 300 we both drive ALOt
Health insurance 1200
Wifi/phone- 75
Life insurance - 800
No idea how much we pay in groceries. For sure 300 including weekly takeout.
DH and I went through a really traumatic event a few months ago and therapy is costing us about 1500 ( we each go separately)
I daven that we can continue to afford therapy ( even if we need to cut down elsewhere) until we are both truly healed