<prompt> Human: EDIT TO ADD: You guys are AWESOME! I was really nervous about posting all this, but everyone here has been so helpful! I cant thank you enough for all the advice and encouragement so far! This is exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping to generate even if not all of it is what I wanted to hear. :-My son is starting high school next year, and I am suddenly panicking about the cost of college! I really need to start saving Im serious about it, and Im ready for some tough love. It seems like I never have any money at the end of the month and I dont know why I cant get my act together. Id love some helpsuggestions on how to budget my life so that I can save 400 per month, and not have to dip into that savings every time I need to get my oil changed, or my oven stops working. Income:My take-home pay is 1690.45 twice per month I get 20 paychecks per year no checks in July or August. I have whats called a summer savings account which is paid out in July in the amount of 7500 to cover my summer expenses. I get 228week for child support, but he doesnt contribute to any other expenses such as doctors co-pays, summer camp, class trips, etc. He will be contributing exactly 0 toward the cost of college. I also have a part-time job, but the hours are very variable. For instance, I brought home 900 gross in February, 480 in March, and nothing in April or May.Current Bills:Mortgage - 1365Car - 315Car insurance 125Credit Cards 900Cell phone - 90Municipal Utilities - 125 quarterlyGasElectric - 325Water - 35InternetPhone - 95Home security system - 45Terminix - 130 quarterlyGym Membership - 140Gymnastics Kid - 165Clarinet Lessons Kid - 90Clarinet Rental Kid - 300 yearlyYMCA kid - 85I feel like there should be more bills on that list, Im probably forgetting something. Youll notice that I dont have a cable bill I cancelled cable 2 years ago because it was so freaking expensive, and dont even have an antenna. The kids stream TV shows or movies, or just read books.I have a lot of credit card debt about 15,000. Trying to pay it down is a seriously uphill battle. I pay my major credit card 125week, plus 200 once per month. I pay the two smaller credit cards 50 each every two weeks.Things Im not willing to bend on:Im not going to sell my house.I have to keep high-speed internet because my part time job is working online from home.My gym membership includes 2xper week personal training, and having lost 60 pounds 10 years ago and kept it off, Id like to continue doing what works.Help me, reddit! I dont THINK I spend a lot of money on stupid shit, but obviously Im doing something wrong. I bring my own lunch to work every single day; I never buy coffee at Starbucks; we hardly ever eat out, and when we do its someplace like Panera or Pei Wei; I dont buy designer clothes for myself or my kids one problem I did have this year was that I bought my son all new pants in the fall, and then he grew 3.5 inches in 2 months, so he needed NEW new pants - damn him! Tell me what else you need to know about my spending so I can be ready to send my kids to college.Assistant: With the numbers you gave above:your take home is 4292. Thats Monthly pay plus Support. nothing from the PT job because it is so inconsistent.Your outflows are 3885 a month. i broke up the Quarterlyyearly payments into monthly.Right off the top, You should have a surplus of 400 Bucks or so. Lets add to that.What you can reduce:Cell phone there are 30 dollar plans out thereTerminix there are cheaper alternativesHome Security System whats the story with this?Gymnastics luxuryGym Membership 60lbs 10 years ago is nice. If you havent developed good habits by now, This is no longer working.Clarinet lessons luxuryClarinet rental if the kid is going to stick with it, buy one.YMCA Luxury? or day care?All of that Totals 1180 a month. BTW, you neglected Grocerieseasy eh? You now have over 1500 bucks A month to work with. Thats IF you dont nuke the car. how much longer do you have on the car? Is It possible to sell this one and get something a little more affordable?I get it, you want your kids to do something so You pay for lessons and Memberships. But those things are Luxuries. Tough Love would dictate all those things be cut. Have your kids go out and Play with sticks and stuff, you run around the block every morning, buy a gunteach yourself to be a ninja, and purchase some roach traps. Problems solved. in your case, It doesnt sound like you Want to do That. Start with your DeductionsWorth through the W4 worksheet and hit up the IRS site. there is a calculator there that can tell you how much you can claim. for instance, someone being married with three kids making under x amount may be able to claim up to 11. DO THE WORKSHEETS.that will adjust how much is being taken out of your check. Thats a start. the rest of this stuff is all going to be decided on how bad you want to help your kid with college. Human: in your case, It doesnt sound like you Want to do That. Yes, this. I am self-aware enough to know that my biggest obstacle is feeling like each expense is not that expensive and ignoring the it all adds up part. Which is why I need someone to slap some sense into me.The cell phone cost is for 3 phones - each of my kids has a phone because they walk to and from school alone two different schools. The clarinet rental is a rent-to-own kind of thing, bass clarinets cost about 3500 to buy outright !? Terminix, security system, and the home phone are, I guess, comfort things - like WHAT IF my house is suddenly infested with TERMITES!?! Or WHAT IF my house catches on fire when Im not home!?! I need to get over that.  <response>: Cell phone is good then - Leave it as is. Bass Clarinets - Check out CL. Doing a simple Search, I found a Bass Clarinet for 1700. Does the School not have Bass Clarinets to loan? mine did back in the dayOn Terminix - I have a guy come, when I call him, he bombs the yard and baits the house. Looks the place over. 100 bucks. I call him about every other year. Full blown chemicals. Nothing watered down. No contracts. I put bug heads on pikes around the property Perimeter to warn them. To bugs, my yard is a wasteland, THE Valley of the shadow of Death the bug bible talks about. If your house catches on fire when you arent home, thats agood thing. Teach the kids to get out and meet somewhere if you cant be there. Buy a smoke Alarm or two. These are the decisions people who wear their big boygirl pants make everyday. It does all add up. Put it on paper. Spreadsheet it up and look at it. It will change your life. 