Where did your $$$ go in 2009?

[Dionne]

Just out of curiosity.....what were your largest expenses in 2009? I'm sitting here at my home office wondering how we survived 2009? Income went on a wild roller coaster ride......from ridiculously low months to unexpected good hits. We've been in a debt reduction mode all year. Here's my list.....beginning with the largest expenses;

1) medical debt (enormous....wife is a cancer survivor)

2) insurance (health, property, vehicle, life)

3) fuel/electric/natural gas (energy consumption, our carbon footprint)

4) taxes (endless.....we're $900 behind right now)

5) mortgage (a new one for us....borrowed money to pay doctors/hospitals.....huge financial mistake)

Okay.....so I'm OCD when it comes to money....anyone else care to share their top 5?

[Stephanie]

1) Mortgage
2) Taxes - income and property
3) Car payment
4) Charge cards - debt reduction
5) Pet medical bills - cat has diabetes and just had some teeth removed and a lumpectomy. Can I get a dependant deduction??
6) Insurance - car, medical, home, life
7) 401K investment - taking advantage of the bottomed out prices and trying to make sure I can retire.

Okay, that was a top 7, but that's pretty much where the money went.

[gtalum]

My top 5 categories:

1) Taxes (Income tax, Payroll taxes, Property tax, Sales tax)
2) Mortgage Principal and Interest
3) Day Care
4) Fuel (I do 60 miles a day, my wife does 100)
5) Leisure Travel

Various categories of savings would slide into some of those spots, but I was only counting true expenditures.

[MGC]

I went on too many vacations.......can you take too many vacations? Just got back yesterday from the Fla Keys....had a great time, spent too much money as usual. Now I have to start saving up for my Alaska trip this summer. My biggest expense is insurance. It is expensive covering two houses and three cars/trucks. We must spend at least 10K on insurance alone.....MGC

[CajunMama]

Heck if i know!!

[arkess7]

We went bankrupt and had to forclose on our house

But I guess thats the American way now a days

[vbhoutex]

I've been unemployed sine July 2008. At our age we must have health insurance. That is our biggest expense each month. that runs out at the end of Feb. and we don't even know if we can get insurance after that.

[Dionne]

I've been unemployed sine July 2008. At our age we must have health insurance. That is our biggest expense each month. that runs out at the end of Feb. and we don't even know if we can get insurance after that.

Wow! Sorry to hear this news. We're in "job lock" because of health insurance issues. I don't have any advice to give you. There isn't an answer for some of us. Even with health insurance....copays and deductibles are enormous. I've made a personal decision.....the next time I go to a doctor or hospital....I will be unconscious and in an ambulance.

[feederband]

1.) Mortgage
2.) Food (3 TEENAGE BOYS)
3.) Car Payment and Insurance
4.) Credit Cards (Damn Christmas)
5.) Medical

[Stephanie]

I've been unemployed sine July 2008. At our age we must have health insurance. That is our biggest expense each month. that runs out at the end of Feb. and we don't even know if we can get insurance after that.

That sucks David!

[Pburgh]

Taxes
Mortgage
Insurance
Fuel
Debt reduction (credit card)

David, you know you're always in my prayers. ((HUGS))