Salary and saving moning

[JoeP]

You need to ask your husband to teach you about your family's budget. You need to know about everything jpg posted. As a couple you should be planning how you spend and save the money. Talk to your husband today. We are trying to save $200 a month on $47000 a year, so you should have no problem saving money on $130,000.

THIS. You both need to understand where every dollar is going. Only after you have a complete understanding of your income and expenses, can you work together toward saving.

[snafu]

Palmtree, I notice you are considering returning to work. I suggest that you and husband work together with a goal of changing spending patterns [over time] so that 20% goes to 'Savings' which includes retirement and deductions for Social Security. 50% of net income used for 'Needs' like mortgage, utilities, food, transportation, non food supplies. The remaining 30% goes for 'Wants' like cable, cellph., personal spending, clothes, gifts, lessons Y and entertainment.

This isn't a quick process but it makes sure you both work together and know where the money goes. It means you make choices like supporting an 'in-law' by reducing personal expenses and gifts for example. If you are working it will take considerable co-operation and planning to make sure there are meals and take away lunches for all while reducing your current food spending [grocery, BJ, restaurant]. It requires both of you to know what matters to you booth over the long term. We are all realizing that we will need to provide for 35 years of ever more costly retirement.