When the divorce is underway, it is important that a budget is created. Usually, the amount a family spent in the past during the marriage will be used as a guideline. If $6,000 was spent on foods and beverages in the last year of marriage and there were two children also in the home, the cost would be the total amount ($6,000) divided by the number of people in the house (4) multiplied by the number of people the new budget would include (3). The total would then be $4,500. By this math, the wife and two children would require $4,500 per year.
This is contingent on the types of food that one spouse might favor over the other. If the husband liked high-end foods and wines, then the costs will obviously be higher with him factored into the equation. This must be accounted for when budgeting.
How Spending On Clothes Will Be Estimated
Clothing is another matter. If the husband or wife work at a job that requires they wear suits while the other doesn't need to worry about clothes, then the costs will be higher for the person for whom appearance is important. In the event that one spouse simply likes to buy expensive clothes for personal enjoyment, that might not be possible after budgeting for the divorce. It comes down to what is needed vs. what is wanted.
The main goal is to develop a budget that is viewed as fair to both parties. Trying to calculate down to the last penny is time-consuming and often too difficult to do.