Home › Forums › Shidduchim › Budget for Newlyweds
- This topic has 25 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 12 years ago by The Litvishe Kiryas Yoelite.
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August 5, 2012 5:37 am at 5:37 am #604430chaimssParticipant
BE”H I will be getting married in a few weeks, and I was wondering how much my Kallah and I should budget for our new life. We will be starting off in a good Frum community (I’d rather avoid exact location) with all the essentials (i.e. Kosher food, meat, Seforim, etc.) readily available, so besides for rent, how much should we budget for food, clothes, incidentals, etc? We would greatly appreciate any insight you guys can give- thanks!
August 5, 2012 6:26 am at 6:26 am #898739choppyParticipantAs minimum as possible. Live frugally.
By the way, what was your decision on a prenup?
August 5, 2012 7:19 am at 7:19 am #898740babygooseParticipantRealisticaly speaking, $2000 dollars a month in a typical community should have you covered.
say 1300 rent, 400 groceries, 200 utilities, 100 for odds and ends that keep coming up….
August 5, 2012 12:47 pm at 12:47 pm #898741takahmamashParticipantYou can’t expect a budget if you’re not more specific about where you’re living. A “good frum community” can be anywhere, and it’s obvious that some places are more expensive than others. Are you living in E”Y? NY? Baltimore? Cleveland? LA?
August 5, 2012 2:21 pm at 2:21 pm #898742MorahRachMemberIt depends on a number of things. Do you have a car? Will you be traveling a lot because if so you need to consider money for gas. Are you paying utilities? Rent is a lot lower lets say on Lakewood than Queens. Do you have any bills /debts to pay off? 2/2500 seems OK, but little things do come up. Having a little extra for those nights when you just want to go out to dinner, or away for the weekend is really nice to have. But if
Your rent in in the 1000,1200 range that should be ok. Don’t buy a brisket to make every shabbos if things ate tight. Also buying family packs of chicken I have found saves money and I freeze what I don’t use right away and use if for week night dinner or the next shabbos.
Also find out of your grocery gives discounts. In queens the grocery stores give discounts if you are a teacher or if you are in landers.
Good luck!!
August 5, 2012 2:32 pm at 2:32 pm #898743DuggieMemberlet’s say in yerushalayim- then what?
August 5, 2012 4:40 pm at 4:40 pm #898744popa_bar_abbaParticipantDo you smoke?
August 5, 2012 7:16 pm at 7:16 pm #898745chaimssParticipant@choppy- We decided to forgo it since it seemed the cons greatly outweighed the pros in our eyes and the eyes of the Rebbeim we asked. In one way it was a very big symbol of trust towards me that she trusts that I wouldn’t do something like that.
@babygoose- Thank you!
@takahmamash- That’s why I didn’t include rent, since that can vary. That being said, though, I will say that it’s “in-town.”
August 5, 2012 7:16 pm at 7:16 pm #898746fedup11210MemberThere is an organization in Boro Park named Mesila that helps with this issue. Mesila International Inc.
1215 40th St., Brooklyn, NY 11218, USA
There are other offices in Baltimore, Cleveland and Lakewood.
August 5, 2012 7:47 pm at 7:47 pm #8987472scentsParticipantIt really depends on what your standard is.
I don’t think that you can calculated this, rather you have to see with time how to set your financial standard.
August 5, 2012 11:07 pm at 11:07 pm #898748chaimssParticipant@PBA- Nope!
August 30, 2012 3:43 pm at 3:43 pm #898749americaisoverParticipantit all depends on where you live
August 30, 2012 4:02 pm at 4:02 pm #898750working harderMemberMuch of the advise is true but just wanted to add a few more things on top of the basics. 400$ a month for food is cheap, it will probaly be much more.
But also you need renter insurance, if you drive then its car insurance and GAS and repairs.
Utilities, cloths…. health insurance (or copays) dental
Now that your married dont forget life insurance.
August 30, 2012 7:03 pm at 7:03 pm #898751americaisoverParticipantyou dont need life insurance it shows a lack of emunah
August 30, 2012 7:18 pm at 7:18 pm #898752alhaParticipantMore being a baal achraios – than having lack of emunah – see r’ moshe zt”l actually encourages buying life insurance.
August 30, 2012 7:28 pm at 7:28 pm #898753cshapiroMember@americaisover im not gonna say what i really think of ur comment but open up any jewish news paper and they are advertising it for $1 a day or how yeshiva/shuls take life insurance policies out for rabbanim…
but to answer chaimss its hard to give an exact number…as a newly myself of just about 10 month our expenses are quite high.
utilities are about $400 (jcp&l is ROBBING us)food is about $400+ if we have guests for shabbos, if u go out to eat a lot, etc.
about $100 on household items such as toothpaste, mouthwash, toilet paper, paper goods, laundry detergent etc.
we have whole life and term about $350 for both, my husbands health insurance $200 a month, + $$ any co pays and anything not covered by insurance or dental thats not covered by insurance can be quite pricey.
car insurance $275 gas who knows but about $200 for my car plus about $50 tolls and idk how much for my husbands…i would put $100-200 for clothing depends if u frequent the mall ull probably end up spending (we both have way too much clothing and shoes for that matter)…which reminds me dry cleaning at least $100 a month
our expenses include other stuff too but i think these are the basics for most newly weds.
August 30, 2012 7:43 pm at 7:43 pm #898754takahmamashParticipantLacking life insurance shows a lack of common sense.
August 30, 2012 7:59 pm at 7:59 pm #898755Kosher HamMember1) There’s no financial secrets in a marriage
2) I found that linking all my accounts on Mint.com helps me budget by seeing where my money goes & for setting goals.
August 30, 2012 8:55 pm at 8:55 pm #898756Flatbush DudeMember1. 1,200 for Rent
2. 400 for car insurance, and/or lease and related repairs and gas
3. 500 on groceries (more if eating out)
4. 200 for clothing
5. 300 for utilities
6. 300 for random expenses (seforim, garbage bags, new shades, etc…)
7. 200 for household necessities
8. Health Insurance???
9. Other Items???
By not spending much, you are already over the $3,000/month threshold!
Good luck, and may you and your kallah build a wonderful Jewish home!
October 7, 2012 7:05 am at 7:05 am #898757chaimssParticipantThank you all, here’s what we have now after being married for around a month. (We’re still trying to figure out amounts, so if anyone agrees/disagrees with the above numbers that would still be helpful in our planning.):
Rent is around $800, including utilities, where we are. I receive health and life insurance as benefits of my job, so that’s covered. Aside from what’s above, am I missing anything?
October 7, 2012 12:49 pm at 12:49 pm #898758avhabenParticipantYou’re good. Hatzlacha
October 7, 2012 2:11 pm at 2:11 pm #898759interjectionParticipant150 for the salon. If you want a happy wife let her get her nails done.
October 7, 2012 3:35 pm at 3:35 pm #898760avhabenParticipantSalon is baal tashchis. Don’t let her do it.
October 7, 2012 4:24 pm at 4:24 pm #898761MediumThinkerMemberDon’t forget to take government aid into account, if you are eligible.
October 7, 2012 5:13 pm at 5:13 pm #898762chaimssParticipant@interjection & @ avhaben- From what I hear nails would be more like $40 per month, and if after moving Out Of Town (in a really big way) she wants that, it might be worth the Shalom Bayis aspect.
@MediumThinker- The idea is to avoid government aid if we don’t need it, even if we’re eligible. Especially since my paycheck comes from the government anyway…
October 7, 2012 5:16 pm at 5:16 pm #898763chaimss: How does the salon make a difference in-town or out-of-town??
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