How much is enough for retirement in Singapore?
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I have that habit since I started working. Inculcated by my dad.
Eating healthy does increase my grocery bills too. I don’t bother with organic stuff, cutting down on meat and eating more fish will add to the cost. Surprisingly, the bulk of my fresh food bill goes to fruits and salad greens.
Eating in also does cost more for us, maybe cos we use better quality stuff. Better rice, better oil, etc. And if you do a comparison, low fat, low sugar, low sodium stuff cost more than regular stuff. -
Oh no..I m spending quite a bit everytime I go supermarket. And it was almost daily before I started work. And each time never lower than $30. Like this morning, I planned to buy fish ball, fish cake and meetaimak at wet market but when pass by the supermarket, I saw apple. So I thought ok, buy apple, then saw the banana and watermelon..ok buy. When queueing at the cashier, saw the fresh milk then remember no more fresh milk at home, buy. Saw vitagen next to it, thought that dd2 likes to drink, so buy. Still queueing, eyes looked up and saw the Omega milk powder for adult, quickly go and get...and the car was parked outside the supermarket with the hazard light blinking..coz I really thought it is a 5 mins buy :faint:
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Funz:
I guess we don't eat that healthy in comparison, just more \"simply\". I don't specially get the low-whatever stuff get better stuff. And yes, fruit and greens can cost quite a bit, but again, I tend to go for the basic stuff. I'm not much of a cook!I have that habit since I started working. Inculcated by my dad.
Eating healthy does increase my grocery bills too. I don't bother with organic stuff, cutting down on meat and eating more fish will add to the cost. Surprisingly, the bulk of my fresh food bill goes to fruits and salad greens.
Eating in also does cost more for us, maybe cos we use better quality stuff. Better rice, better oil, etc. And if you do a comparison, low fat, low sugar, low sodium stuff cost more than regular stuff. -
hercules:
:salute: hercules!!slmkhoo:
You don't really need to monitor to the last dollar either.
My budget is accurate up to the last $50.
After maintaining the budget for some time, it becomes a habit.
When i first started, I did it almost daily, but now I do it weekly (open my AceMoney and start to recall and update it with all the receipts in my bag).
My grocery used to be around $400/month but ever since I started to eat healthy a few months back, it increases by about 50%.
Both of my kids are now having the same habit as me and I think this is a good way to start them early in financial literacy (to put Math into practical use).
I handle the finances, I used to maintain my own excel sheet for years, but the past 2-3 years have stopped. I must get started again, I like the idea of being organised and knowing exactly where the money goes. These days I prefer to pay thru credit card where ever possible. Easier to track my expense. Besides for cash withdrawals, I withdraw in bulk to last about 1-2 weeks and and safe keep. As I or DH take it, we jot down the main purpose.
So let me check out this ACEMoney software, Thank you hercules -
slmkhoo:
My house has almost no junk food unless given as presents (chocolates).
I guess we don't eat that healthy in comparison, just more \"simply\". I don't specially get the low-whatever stuff get better stuff. And yes, fruit and greens can cost quite a bit, but again, I tend to go for the basic stuff. I'm not much of a cook!Funz:
I have that habit since I started working. Inculcated by my dad.
Eating healthy does increase my grocery bills too. I don't bother with organic stuff, cutting down on meat and eating more fish will add to the cost. Surprisingly, the bulk of my fresh food bill goes to fruits and salad greens.
Eating in also does cost more for us, maybe cos we use better quality stuff. Better rice, better oil, etc. And if you do a comparison, low fat, low sugar, low sodium stuff cost more than regular stuff.
Ever since I got my high cholesterol scare that doc wanted me to take statin, I started to study labels intensely and so now everything (salt, sugar, fats, etc) must be LOW before I buy.
The whole grain bread that I am eating now is $3.50 (so expensive). The all natural almond spread with no added sugar is $16 for a small bottle! (ytd I found a $6 peanut butter with 1 gm of sugar in 2 tablespoons and can switch to this cheaper alternative. Other peanut butter quite high in sugar).
I dont really go for organic fruits but fruits that cant remove the skin (the berries) I will try to get organic else I rather not eating them (difficult to wash the oil based pesticides with just water). Currently I take in at least 10 tomatoes weekly (actually I don't really like tomatoes but eat them coz healthy), and this is one of the organic stuff I eat (the other one is organic brown rice).
Yes, fruits cost a lot after I started my at least 5 servings of fruits and veg per day.
I don't eat a lot and so can afford more quality food. Quite easy to feed me with each meal 60 ml worth of uncooked rice, a veg/tofu, an egg, and a fish (now I take poultry only twice a week and no other meat). Fish costs quite a bit too! -
hub and I tracked individually for abt 2yr plus till we see a consistent pattern in expenditure.Then we stopped the book keeping . Off hand I can tell which is the biggest portion of expenditure now. it is gd to start/habit if one got no idea where their $$$ fly to monthly
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Sun_2010:
Hi Sun
I handle the finances, I used to maintain my own excel sheet for years, but the past 2-3 years have stopped. I must get started again, I like the idea of being organised and knowing exactly where the money goes. These days I prefer to pay thru credit card where ever possible. Easier to track my expense. Besides for cash withdrawals, I withdraw in bulk to last about 1-2 weeks and and safe keep. As I or DH take it, we jot down the main purpose.
So let me check out this ACEMoney software, Thank you hercules
AceMoney has free trial. If you can maintain it for 30 days, then can consider buying.
It is useful to put your cash withdrawals into 'Petty Cash' account and manage from there.
It's quite easy and fun to use it (my two kids can attest to that). From there, can see all your money in all the savings/current/FD accounts and stock if you have any. I feel 'richer' to have such a consolidated view of my financial position instead of sometimes feel I have enough but other times feel I have not enough. With it, I can confidently say, 'I have enough!'
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MrsKiasu:
Oh no..I m spending quite a bit everytime I go supermarket. And it was almost daily before I started work. And each time never lower than $30. Like this morning, I planned to buy fish ball, fish cake and meetaimak at wet market but when pass by the supermarket, I saw apple. So I thought ok, buy apple, then saw the banana and watermelon..ok buy. When queueing at the cashier, saw the fresh milk then remember no more fresh milk at home, buy. Saw vitagen next to it, thought that dd2 likes to drink, so buy. Still queueing, eyes looked up and saw the Omega milk powder for adult, quickly go and get...and the car was parked outside the supermarket with the hazard light blinking..coz I really thought it is a 5 mins buy :faint:
Why don't you write out a shopping list first before going grocery shopping?
Be disciplined n buy what you need, don't be distracted.
Also don't overbuy especially for fruits if your family is not a big fruit eater.
In the past, I used to stock up everything until they perish n expire n had to be thrown away. So now I am wiser n maybe more neow, buy in realistic portions that I know I will finish consumption.
So my cupboards n fridge tend to be empty.
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MyPillow:
hub and I tracked individually for abt 2yr plus till we see a consistent pattern in expenditure.Then we stopped the book keeping . Off hand I can tell which is the biggest portion of expenditure now. it is gd to start/habit if one got no idea where their $$$ fly to monthly
I keep track of my family's daily expenses up to the last cent (if my memory doesn't fail me). I will do a monthly total and categorize them into different expense groups eg children , meals, groceries.
By year end, I can see how much my family spends per year n which categories do I spend the most.
From here, I can see how long can my $$$$ last.
I also keep track of passive income so that I will get a good picture of my financial health. -
zbear:
we will do a ballpark estimate of each expense category then set a budget for each category . ..every month if the expense fall below budget become surplus for adhoc expense ... and saving wise a target is set each month ... before paying off expense .. the target is channel to bank with higher interest .. then balance will be use for expensesMyPillow:
hub and I tracked individually for abt 2yr plus till we see a consistent pattern in expenditure.Then we stopped the book keeping . Off hand I can tell which is the biggest portion of expenditure now. it is gd to start/habit if one got no idea where their $$$ fly to monthly
I keep track of my family's daily expenses up to the last cent (if my memory doesn't fail me). I will do a monthly total and categorize them into different expense groups eg children , meals, groceries.
By year end, I can see how much my family spends per year n which categories do I spend the most.
From here, I can see how long can my $$$$ last.
I also keep track of passive income so that I will get a good picture of my financial health.
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