How do I get my Finances in order? My husband and I want to save for our retirement. dont know where to begin?

My husband I want to save for the future but we can barely pay the bills and have food on the table. My husband is great with money but me on the other hand, I am horrible with money. I want to buy everything, buy things when i dont really need them, and i Could not tell you which bills are due when. we recently had a check bounce on our account and I know it was my fault but husband wont say it is. How can we be on the same page and save money? Please HELP

Public Comments

1. Please visit DaveRamsey.com to learn what could have saved my marriage years of strife and agony. In plain commonsense english, he explains what the banks don't want you to know.
2. Go to a financial adviser, and ask them, they'll set you up on a budget, good luck
3. First off, it's impossible to live above your means and ever save for retirement. to save you must be able to actually live below your means. if you are foolish enough to think u have to live the 90210 life you are screwed.1. clean up any credit card debt, cut up the plastic. 2. live within the regular income w/o any overtime or bonuses. use that money to help pay off debt , after debt is gone use the overtime and (extra) money to invest. 3. real estate is the number ! way to create lasting wealth and more people become millionaires that anything else. bouncing checks destroy your credit rating.
4. If your company at work has a 401 K plan jump on it. I started off with the lowest percentage and gradually, when I could afford it, went higher. Now I am sitting pretty. If you ever think of changing jobs look for one with a retirement plan. Better to be a small fish in a big sea than a big fish in a Mom and Pop operation.
5. Your situation is common. Every saver attracts a spender and every spender attracts a saver... and the cycle of resentment over money slowly builds up inside. My first word of advice is to communicate. You won't miss retirement money if it is saved off the top, tax-free, and you don't see it. I won't say you'll never bounce a check again but you'll at least have that tax free money going to the account it's supposed to go to right off the top. The younger you are, the better off you are. If you are aware of your spending habits being counterproductive, then do something about it. It's not up to any of us to tell you what to buy or not buy because it's your money but you are the only one who can prioritize whether having things now or in your golden years is a priority. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. You can save 1/2 and spend 1/2 of your disposable income. If you and/or your husband has a 401K option where your employers are literally giving you free money, take it. Take the most you can and let it build up over years and years and years. Look at your budget categories: housing, transportation, credit cards, entertainment, food, etc. and consciously note any changes you can make to shop around or reduce the amounts you are paying. Put that money into a secure account in a bank on the other side of town with no ATM access. That fund (eventually 6 months of living expenses) will be there should one of you lose your job or have emergency needs. The 401K (or Roth IRA if your employer doesn't match) will be your long term savings. The bank on the other side of town your emergency fund and then do whatever you want with the remaining income. Try to save at least 20% of your income off the top. If you cannot manage on 80%, then you are obviously not having money troubles you are having judgement troubles with what to do with your money. There are alot of people managing just fine making alot less than you make... how do they do it???
6. The only person who can answer this question for you, is you. I can’t tell you what business to start. You just need to devise a game plan and then stick to it,there are many ways a person can earn money online while working from home.i will suggest a site http://www.earnerz.com They will give you an expert advice related to saving money for retirement.they have a big directory of articles do check out you will find that helpful. A word of advice:Remember your hobby is your best work at home business, you will never feel bored or tired if your business is your hobby. Good luck!
7. LISTEN TO DAVE RAMSEY
8. The first thing you need to do is get out of debt and you need to learn to have self dicipline when it comes to money. You have to train yourself to be money consious however that is something that it will take you time to learn. The next thing you need to do is have your husband start a 401K program where they will take so much money out of each check and put it in the 401K account. Plus you do have to learn to live within a budget. There is a lot more to do because there is debt to deal with but if you email me I can tell you how to go about doing that.
9. Go to your CAB and ask them to sort your finances. They have good experts for free. But to tell you the truth, if you are so irresponsible with money, you deserve a poor old age. Only it is a pity you are dragging your husband down with you.