I decided to put myself on a monthly budget! Somebody had to! I was getting out of control :) Imagine that! Just wondering if anyone else is on a budget and what tips can you share?

I decided to put x amount of cash in a envelope and write on the envelope each time I make a purchase. When I run out of money for the month then I am done!

My daughter & SIN do their budget this way very successfully.
I do not need this way because I am naturally thrifty, but it definitely is a good method.

I do the same. for fabric . I also allow what was left to carry over to the next month. Its been working so far., but I am also particiapting in the fabric moretorium so I'll have quite a bit in that envelope when .. I just can't take it and have to make a splurge.
It really helps. I also used a budget when I attended a big quilt show , because it was too easy to get carried away.

Most definitely, I also put myself on a limit as to how many projects I have going at one time. If not I will have to many pending projects to do and will overwhelm myself :)

If you are fabric shopping bring cash...not a credit card. That way you will not over spend and you will really think about what you really want.
I also skipped on the internet service for my cell phone...I can do without that high cost. - canceled the house phone 3 years ago..nope we do not miss it.

This is good...me too...no more than two at a time. I do build stashes though. I buy 1 yard here and there or 3 yeards of backing material when I see a good sale.

I don't buy anything with a credit card, use coupons, if I'm going to Joann's. At the end of each day, I put my change in a jar. Once or twice a year, I cash in my change and take a day trip to Shipsawana.

I have made the decision to only buy fabric for a project. No more stash building! It is to hard to find more fabric from your stash if you don't have enough to finish a project.

I am pretty thrifty as a rule, except when it comes to this quilting thing! I still buy on sale but it is easy to get carried away! Of course, I was busy building a stash, but now I think it is time to get control. I say that as I bought 2 singers today! Still within my budget *smiles*

I have lived on a budget my whole adult life. It drives my DH crazy but he realizes he is terrible with money so I handle the finances. A year ago I stopped buying so much fabric and started using my stash. I only buy for special gifts or when I need some backing. I also use coupons at JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby. I have always made it a habit to transfer money left in checking over to savings on paydays. Sometimes it isn't very much, but you'd be surprised how quickly it can add up.

I agree...I have always been very careful and am a saver until I started quilting last year...now I seem like I spend non stop...I need to start getting it back in control...I also have always had a spotless house...now I find material here and there, die machines...I put everything away this weekend...I do enjoy quilting but may cut back a bit. Its starting to control me...

My DH has been out of work for 4 months, so no income coming in. I asked for donations of clothes from people and many friends donated fabric. All you have to do is ask. I am making wall hangings and other crafts for a craft sale in August and so far I have made many items and only spent $25 on batting and a few yards of fabric.

Because of a tax mess up we have to pay this year---not happy. So that meant I needed to cut back on the 'hobby'. I am only purchasing one item per pay check till taxes are paid. That item has to be a low cost---I can't buy a new machine LOL! What ever is left over from my 'allowance' each paycheck goes towards the taxes. BUT watch out when the taxes are paid! I want, I want, so off to shopping I go--of course it shall say 'sale' or have a coupon I can use even then......

Everybody's got a limit to the amount of money they can spend! I say just be thrifty! (Whatever that means to you!)

I have my own disposable income so my budget is not a concern with DH but I tend to splurge all at once for quilting items then spend little by little.

We saved our change especially quarters into a jar every week from the first week of marriage on. On our 35th wedding anniversary we used the change and bought new wedding bands and had them engraved.

A budget? Yep! Had to. Lost my job over a year ago due to downsizing. It makes you dig into that stash!! :)

Are you talking a general budget or a fabric/supplies budget?
General budget is DH job...
fabric budget is "I need ______ color/style of fabric and I don't have anything in my stash... store has a 50% off sale and I have an additional 10-15% off if I got during xxx hours....

I like to use cash because when it is gone that's it. My DH prefers a credit card that is paid in full every month. We have tried it both ways and both work. Since he writes the checks and takes care of all of the bills, I let him do it his way. We do have a monthly budget and seldom go over it. Our credit card pays 1% and we just let that roll over for long periods of time and then we have enough to splurge for something fun. The first time we did it, we left it for a few years and ended up with over $800. We split it and bought something we each wanted. Usually we use it for our annual trip to Michigan to see family.

I have always been thrifty....no real budget, I just cants pend too much!

Have never been able to make a budget work, however, we don't use credit, so when the cash is gone, the spending stops! Have often bought just a few fat quarters at a quilt shop of fabric store, and they do mount up. But now I have several projects ahead, so haven't bought any for a while. When I did the marathon of two 90 X 106 flannel quilts for Christmas presents last year, I bought way too much flannel, so I still have enough left to make one for my brother this year.

I am not on a budget but I am careful how I buy usually wait for 50% sales I also get a lot of scraps given to me by some of my quilting friends that don't want them. Often I end up making runners, wallhangings, scrap quits,etc just from what I am given!

We own a car wash and I was having to clean out the vacuums I was useing the money I found in those to buy my stash(some will think thats gross) but $150.00 a month buys a lot of fabric.

I haven't done this for fabric but oh boy, it worked for the county fair!! With 4 kids in tow (a friend for each) I would put x amount in my pocket, tell the kids what was there and they had to prioritize. They did very well and when I turned my pocket inside out and it was empty they didn't whine one bit!!

I cut down on fabric buying about 3 years ago because of the economy. I just do not go to quilt stores any more. Also I started using lesser expensive fabrics especially for backs and buying or trading for fabrics off this list and ebay. I really try to use stash and be creative.

The best thing I did recently to save money was to sort out my stash and organise it all into clear boxes. I found so many fabrics that I had forgotten about...it really was like having a huge shopping spree for new fabrics in my own sewing room !
Now it is organised it made me realise how much I had stock piled. I am using it much more and am not going off to buy more than I need....

I used to have a hard time controlling my spending. A while ago I wanted to be a better steward of what we've been given. So I told my husband that I wanted an allowance. I get my cash every payday and use it for my books, fabric, etc. If it's a gift for someone, the general fund pays for it. If I just want it, I pay for it. It works very well. I think more about my purchases and don't feel guilty for what I spend.

I'm also wondering if this is your fabric budget or your household budget? I use an envelope system for our household budget. Have envelopes for groceries, eating out, etc. When out of cash - out of spending. Extras I put in a different envelope for special purchases - like fabric! I keep a spiral with a page for each month's expenses and write down everything we spend. A good resource is Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover - look for it in your local library.

Yup, budget, we use quicken on the computer and each week a certain amount of money goes towards each bill. I get paid weekly and sometimes have overtime, husband gets paid every other week and is salaried so it never changes. We automatically have some put right away into the savings account (we have direct deposit) so we never see it in the checking account. And we both take a set amount each week for misc. expenses and I take whatever is leftover and put in the "fabric fund". If we have overtime or extra budget money it normally goes into the "rainy day fund" then when we need work done on cars etc the money comes out of that. We tend to spend cash only. Good Luck with the budget.

We both came from poor families,with stay at home Moms (so was I),so basically we learned early on that "when the money is spent,we don't have more to spend".
When the kids were home, we lived tight with a dollar.Now we're empty nesters, but still don't splurge on basics.The bills are payed 1st & what's left goes into savings.I use a bank card for on line purchases,so that's payed from savings when I hit the buy button.
Several yrs back I started cutting back on all quilty "stuff".Every new ruler,notion or fabric is thought about....do I really need that,do I already have it in stash? New throws/quilts are made with at least 60% stash.Love LQS fabric, but only at 50% or more off.
We have a life to live & not all spending money will ever go on quilting.He has a hobby,we like to eat out & at least once a yr,we travel to Fl to see family.

I am now. Most of my budget is going toward gas for a while.

i have a sign hanging on the wall. 'don't buy anything materialistic.' except for a new pair of tennis shoes this yr, so far i am doing pretty good. not perfect, but good...

I made a pact with myself for 2011. No more stash building for 2011, with the exception of Christmas fabrics which were liquidated in January.

I also have a list going of projects I want/need to do. So once I finish the 2 quilts I am working on now, I will start a project on my list with fabrics I already have. At the end of the year I will assess what was done and what is needed for 2012 and then when the sales go on in January I will buy what I need for 2012.

This will keep me from spending the kids college funds on fabric and also keep me from starting 30 projects at a time :)

i would expect the question to be...
Anyone not on a budget?
in this economy i do not know anyone who gets to quilt without having a budget...would have to win a really good lottery to be able to go off the budget.
i scrimp and save, quilt for others and sell my quilts to be able to support my hobby.

I don't have a budget technically. For too many years when the kids were growing up I had to pinch pennies. Now that it is just me, if I want something I get it. But I still buy fabric on sale unless I need something specific to finish a quilt. I don't travel, and pay my credit card off at the end of every month. Only use it when it is easier than carrying a large amount of money, like buying dog food (2 BIG dogs), vet bills (Gus's surgery) etc. I know how much money I can spend each month and am careful not to go over that. I hang laundry out when I can, hit "cancel" on the dry cycle of the dishwasher, do laundry with cold water, save my dehumidifier water to water plants, fill fish tank etc. Also have rain barrels to water the flowers.

I don't have a budget. I have been very lucky to be able to buy what I want when I want. I only do kits, and have very little fabric stash. I have made a promise to myself not to buy anything else until I am down to ten kits. I have over 60, plus my penny rug kits. Then I will start on the projects and patterns I have been collecting on will only buy fabric one at a time.

You GO, Girl!!!

All the people around my community is on a very tight budget because of Groceries,gas,animal food. ect.So no it is not just you I think every one is on some kind of a budget.Some just don't admit it.I know several people buy used clothing,only name brand of course.If I like it.It does not matter the name on it just so it fits and looks good on me.

DH and I stopped using credit cards 2 years ago. The interest was getting out of hand. Everything cash. I also recieve SS so, each month I try to put a little bit away each month and then when we travel to see the kids and grandbabies. I have enough to go shopping in either Hancock or Joanne's. Since there is no, quilt shop near me at all