Creating a budget?

[chwdg10]

It is very possible that within the next year my boyfriend will move from Florida over to California to move in with my family. My parents have already discussed it a bit and it's just a matter of him saving money and finding a job here.

We want to create a budget to figure out how much he will need when he moves over here and how much he will need each month after that to take care of expenses.

What types of things have you included in your budgets and how much money did you save before you moved in with your SO? I just want to get an idea of how others have gone about this. I don't want to leave anything out.

[snow_girl]

I used this with my SO. Its in pounds but it still comes up with the same numbers. https://www.thesmartwaytopay.co.uk/D...FUoc4QodmBLRNg

[chwdg10]

Thank you. I will check it out!

[13000km]

That site is great. (: My advice is to over estimate all expenses, it's always a good idea to have extra saved up.

[13000km]

That site is great. (: My advice is to over estimate all expenses, it's always a good idea to have extra saved up.

[mllebamako]

I use a budget template excel spreadsheet. Here are a few good ones: https://www.budgetsaresexy.com/2009/...mplates-sites/ I personally use the “Free Budget Spreadsheet” @ Money Under 30". I changed the categories to make them fit my life and then I keep track of what I spend daily. It's quite easy once you get into the habit of it.

[Mara]

Of course, the main expense I have and always make sure to include in my budget is transportation. I have to pay car insurance, gas, and just general upkeep on my car. Then, I include all my monthly bills that are a set constant. Lastly, I try to estimate how much money I will need for food, personal items, and any leisure items I want to buy.

To move to my SO, I'm just going to save as much as I can. I don't really have a set number of oh I want to save this much. I just cut out anything and everything I can that I don't need and put the rest into savings.

[chwdg10]

We're thinking he should save at least $1,000 by January. January looks like our goal date for now, but we still have a lot to discuss. For now, I'm thinking he would use my car and the bus until he has enough money for his own car.

[Silviar]

Here are the things I listed in my budget:

Emergency Fund – If something can go wrong, it will. Cars breaking, illness, canceled flights, being unable to find a job… life happens, and you have to be prepared for it. An emergency fund turns a crisis into an inconvenience. Generally, you want 3-6 months of living expenses for the country in which you’ll be living.
Moving Costs - For some people, it’s hiring a moving truck. For others, this includes shipping overseas and the many options available, selling/storing leftover items, and airline tickets.
Debt Load – I didn’t want my debts hanging over my head and creating stress while trying to move overseas, so I paid it off. If you’re not paying it off, be prepared to have the cash to pay it off when you move.
Establishment Costs – I think this is the kicker, the one-time costs. Deposits for living space, turning on utilities, switching licenses, furniture, linens, and so on. Setting up your new life eats into your costs, even if you skip getting a couch and eat off of milk crates.
Cancellation Fees – Will moving cause you to break your lease, cancel your cell phone contract, pay membership fees? Personally, I had sticker shock about cell phone cancellation fees.
Monthly Living Expenses – Figuring out where and how to cash flow your new life can be difficult, especially if you don’t go with a job in hand. This is where that emergency fund comes in handy. Figuring out where and how you’re going to live will help determine how much you need to make in order to live comfortably.
Visas/Immigration – It’s not just the application fee, but the required cost to get the requested documentation which can add up. Don’t forget the passport pictures!
Insurance – I know some people think car/life, but my first concern was actually medical. As an outsider, I’m not covered by Australia’s healthcare until I’m a citizen or permanent resident. Check to make sure you’re covered. Price plans.
Work – That is, cash flow. How am I bringing in money to care for myself? Living off of savings versus bringing in money are two different things, and almost everyone will need a cash flow at some point. Researching job possibilities and making sure you’re prepared for however long it takes you to get a job, and learning about the tools you’ll need to be a marketable person.
Farewell Fun – Now that I’ve moved to Australia, one thing I wish I had given myself was more of a fluff fund for my last days. I spent so much visiting family, friends, and getting last minute items I wanted to take overseas that I ended up spending more than I realized I would.

I ended up saving $7000 USD before I moved, and I've got another $2k coming from car payments when I sold my car. I'm really glad I did, because we're about to use some on big ticket items coming up, with the rest in our emergency savings for any issues.

[chwdg10]

Here are the things I listed in my budget:

Emergency Fund – If something can go wrong, it will. Cars breaking, illness, canceled flights, being unable to find a job… life happens, and you have to be prepared for it. An emergency fund turns a crisis into an inconvenience. Generally, you want 3-6 months of living expenses for the country in which you’ll be living.
Moving Costs - For some people, it’s hiring a moving truck. For others, this includes shipping overseas and the many options available, selling/storing leftover items, and airline tickets.
Debt Load – I didn’t want my debts hanging over my head and creating stress while trying to move overseas, so I paid it off. If you’re not paying it off, be prepared to have the cash to pay it off when you move.
Establishment Costs – I think this is the kicker, the one-time costs. Deposits for living space, turning on utilities, switching licenses, furniture, linens, and so on. Setting up your new life eats into your costs, even if you skip getting a couch and eat off of milk crates.
Cancellation Fees – Will moving cause you to break your lease, cancel your cell phone contract, pay membership fees? Personally, I had sticker shock about cell phone cancellation fees.
Monthly Living Expenses – Figuring out where and how to cash flow your new life can be difficult, especially if you don’t go with a job in hand. This is where that emergency fund comes in handy. Figuring out where and how you’re going to live will help determine how much you need to make in order to live comfortably.
Visas/Immigration – It’s not just the application fee, but the required cost to get the requested documentation which can add up. Don’t forget the passport pictures!
Insurance – I know some people think car/life, but my first concern was actually medical. As an outsider, I’m not covered by Australia’s healthcare until I’m a citizen or permanent resident. Check to make sure you’re covered. Price plans.
Work – That is, cash flow. How am I bringing in money to care for myself? Living off of savings versus bringing in money are two different things, and almost everyone will need a cash flow at some point. Researching job possibilities and making sure you’re prepared for however long it takes you to get a job, and learning about the tools you’ll need to be a marketable person.
Farewell Fun – Now that I’ve moved to Australia, one thing I wish I had given myself was more of a fluff fund for my last days. I spent so much visiting family, friends, and getting last minute items I wanted to take overseas that I ended up spending more than I realized I would.

I ended up saving $7000 USD before I moved, and I've got another $2k coming from car payments when I sold my car. I'm really glad I did, because we're about to use some on big ticket items coming up, with the rest in our emergency savings for any issues.

Wow! Thank you for the list Silviar! We both live in the same country and he would basically be moving over here with his clothes and a few others items. He doesn't have much stuff to begin with. At least we won't have to worry about immigration or getting all of his stuff over here.

A year ago I sold all of my furniture and my mattress and replaced everything with new furniture. We're covered on furnishings. I've already got a savings account started for emergencies and he's begun to save money.

I just hope this happens and I don't get my hopes up. Right now I'm just trying to encourage him to save along with me.

[Silviar]

The good thing about my list is that it covers things regardless of if you're moving overseas or not. You can substitute visas for other government fees in your case - driver's license, car registration, etc.

[chwdg10]

That's a good point! Thank you!

[alNimsa]

Thank you for this list. Wat I really like about it is that everyone can use this list, no mather if the moving is just to anohter city in the same contry or a differend continent.

You did a fantastic job

[YorkshireLass]

Slightly O/T, but I'd recommend mint.com as a budgeting tool; it doesn't help you figure out what you'll need in the future, but it does help you keep track of what you currently spend (by creating a budget and/or viewing graphs/charts of past trends) and allows you to create savings goals and track their progress.