and I am asking out of frustration. This is one of those "ann landers" type of questions -  please help settle an argument...........

How much is "enough" spending money per week?  Including gas, cigs, incidentals...   what is the average?  We have quite a mix of people and economic levels here -  what is your average?  (ballpark it if necessary)

I hope that isn't too personal 

  Wow Jen hope every things alright at home that question is fixed because I've been at the low end and the high end of the earning scale and it really depends on how much you make.  If you would have asked that 15years ago I would have said $25 a week is plenty but now I cant even answer that, I dont know.  It all depends on the finacial situation.
    Hope all is well,   Phil

for incidental spending money I use less than $5 a week, but then I'm trying to get out of debt.

Jerry

you pay your rent, buy your food, put money aside for Elecrtic/Gas/Telephone  etc , getting to work and back and whats left is left,  split as you need to  and if you have more left still to spend count yourself lucky.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world 

I don't smoke and my gas is paid for by my company, but I spend about $25.00 a week to eat.  Maybe another $25.00 for *incidentals*.

Carolyn

1/3 in the bank for savings is a hell of a lot more than most people I'm sure, me included. I'm trying to get better at it though, but with these times its a lot tougher than it used to be.

Sounds to me like your doing everything right! Like Oprah says, "You gotta pay yourself first" Easy for her to say! Lol

Did you do a home equity for the car? It may be cheaper and you can deduct the interest on your taxes. Just a thought.

And once a month, buy a BIG bag of Fritos at Wal-mart, then put some in a zip-lock bag every day with your lunch. I figure it'll save you about $7 a month! That's it for MY shopping skills!

Jimmers

Wish I could save 1/3 of my paycheck........ I think you're doing well if you are able to sock that much away.

Gas is a joint bill - around 300$/month

My wife and I each get a $350/mo allowance to spend as we please, no questions asked by the partner.

What is savings? 

Jennifer wrote on Nov 6^th, 2008 at 2:32pm:


You damn right, Sweets......ANY money that you dont put there.....Aint there, right?

All you can do is plug away with whatever you can tuck away for an emergency.......My Dad taught me that early on.

I like to drink beer and I turn every damn can in for each nickle, thats just alittle more into MY emergency fund. 

I don't really have "spending money".  My social security and retirement money cover my fixed expenses.  My part time job covers food, gas, etc.

When you raise three children by yourself, even when working 1-1/2 jobs, you don't have any money to sock away for a rainey day.

I'm not complaining.....I made my choices and I live with them.  

Your income determines what is normal spending money for YOU.

First, this thread depresses me. It is criminal that we had to bailout millionaires who screwed up so bad it hurt the entire country. As someone else put it "It can be hard in America for the rich to not be rich". It is like they are forced to be rich, regardless of how incompetent they are. Man is that frustrating.

Jen, if you are putting away 1/3 into savings you are doing awesome. Jim is correct - pay yourself FIRST, just like it is a bill.

Not to be picky, or judgmental or whatever, just observing, but I wish I smoked so I had something to quit to find a quick way to "make" more money........Again, just saying, not judging or preaching.