| Unfortunately, all of our expenses effect how we go | | | | Medications, Doctor Appointments, Vitamins, Therapist |
| about fixing our credit. The only way to gain a grip on | | | | Vehicle registration, maintenance, gasoline, oil changes, |
| our expenses is to tie them all down and figure out | | | | washing, parking meters, public transit, parking tickets |
| what each and every one is. In many cases we write | | | | Movies, concerts, sporting events, hobbies, club & |
| down all of our monthly payments such as car | | | | membership dues, books magazines, newspapers, |
| payments, house payments, power, gas, and other | | | | software |
| utilities. But what about the expenses we always try to | | | | Babysitter, Allowances, School supplies, toys |
| brush under the rug? The ones that happen every | | | | Pet food, grooming, veterinary, toys, boarding |
| month, week and sometimes everyday - It is human | | | | Student loans, tuition, books, supplies |
| nature to casually forget that these "little" expenses | | | | Travel, Vacation, visiting friends and family, hobby |
| exist. After all what's a $5 coffee at Starbucks or a | | | | related |
| $3 meal at McDonald's? Nothing until you add up the | | | | Birthday, Christmas, Wedding, Anniversary gifts |
| fact that you are going every business day. That's | | | | Personal lawyer, accountant, stamps, bank and credit |
| over $200 in coffee and Big Macs'. | | | | card fees |
| To help you with the plight of "fixing my credit," here is | | | | Taxes |
| a list of expenses that you need to take into account | | | | Savings & Investments |
| when working to fix your credit. | | | | Granted this is a long list, but many of the items are |
| Rent/ House Payment | | | | things we overlook when creating a budget. Tending to |
| Property Taxes | | | | factor in only the normal month to month bills, |
| Insurance (home, car & medical) | | | | sometimes we fool ourselves into believing we can |
| Phone (house & cell) | | | | spend more than we actually have available. For |
| Gas & Electric | | | | example: after house payment, utilities, groceries and all |
| Water & Sewer | | | | the normal expenses you're noticing in the budget an |
| Cable TV | | | | extra $300 every month. Well that means you can |
| Garbage & Recycling | | | | buy a new car! Once the car is purchased the |
| Household supplies (lawn and home maintenance) | | | | bi-monthly garbage bill comes in and the registration for |
| Property (maintenance and repairs) | | | | the other cars, insurance and property taxes come |
| Groceries | | | | due - Now what? |
| Eating out (breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, anything not | | | | It takes a little more work in the beginning but it is well |
| prepared at your house) | | | | worth the effort to track every tiny little expense for a |
| Clothing | | | | few months. Once you know where your money is |
| Laundry (detergent, washer & dryer maintenance) | | | | going, you can effectively cut back on expenses and |
| Toiletries, Cosmetics | | | | begin fixing your credit. |
| Hair cuts, massages, nails, health club memberships | | | | |