Budget Survey
Serendipity is having a budget survey turned giveaway at her blog. Since I’m a sucker for both surveys and giveaways, I thought I’d enter by posting my results here. Check out her blog for some other answers, and to answer for yourself yourself!
1. Do you actively follow a budget? I will say yes, even though it’s more of a “sort of”. I write down my budget, but I really don’t follow it and simply add more money to categories if I run out.
2. Do you use any budgeting software such as Mint, Quicken, etc? No.
3. What percentage ( or amount ) of your money is divided up into expense and variable expenses? Fixed is about 20% (rent, cable, internet, utilities, student loan, insurance). Note that I’m using my GROSS income to start, and about 25% of that goes to taxes. Variable is the rest, which includes savings
4. How much of your budget is spent on living expenses ( rent, utilities)? 18%
5. How much is spent on auto expenses/ transportation ( payment, insurance,gas, toll fees, bus passes) ? 3%
6. How much of your income is spent on the following categories:
- A. Alcohol - 1% (estimated, do not explicitly track)
- B. Eating Out – 3.25%
- C. Shopping ( books, clothes, wants not needs) - 2.5%
- D. Debt Repayment - 2%
- E. Entertainment - 1% (estimated, often falls under misc, fitness, or restaurants)
7. Does following a budget make you feel anxious or more in control of your financial well-being? Yes, except that I don’t actually follow it!
8. Age? 28
