Spouse - not with the program?

[Russ]

From another thread I highjacked - sorry Greebo.

I'm thinking that I may be expecting too much from my wife so I will try running things by the group in an effort to not be so demanding and maybe get more cooperation.

ah, but that's the point. spending should make you think. and think hard.
the 50 dollars i get for pocket money i am careful to think - is this what i want to spend my pocket money on?

I think having a cash envelop with her blow money in it will start to make her think then. Thinking about her money is that attitude change that she needs. If she doesn't think about it now... she isn't going to think about it later until she doesn't have it. Then she'll worry about it.

Can you both please define or explain what you use your "pocket money" for and do you ever use it for things that are in your budget?

[Ceashels]

My pocket money expenses have been:

- eating out with my girlfriends
- sharing a couple dozen steamed crabs with Mom
- a second run showing of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull
- quart size mason jars for storing my grains and dried beans (probably could have been a budget item but it wasn't a neccessity, it was a WANT)
- some kiddie size sugar free Rita's ice
- the rest of it goes into my sock drawer stash for future purchases like fabric or yarn when I have the time to make things again

[Greebo]

and do you ever use it for things that are in your budget?

No. The blow money is our ME money. Budgeted items are paid for out of the budget.

[GM97]

Blow money is for something that I WANT not NEED, like:

slurpee
lunch with girlfriends
lunch at work when I'm too lazy to pack my own lunch (I include lunch in the grocery budget)
a book that I want to keep instead of getting from the library
movies (this is part of our entertainment budget)


So the more I save the blow money, the quicker I will get that Wii and not wait til Christmas.

[McD]

Zac and I each get 20$ a week for fun money. I cannot bring myself to call it blow money because that always makes me think of drug money. haha.

I have no idea what Zac spends his money on and I am pretty sure he has no idea what I spend mine on. I like it that way. I don't want to have to feel like I am justifying it to him and vice versa.

I always stash 1/2 of mine somewhere. Not sure what I am saving up for, but I am saving up all the same. The other 1/2 I use if I wanna stop and buy a snack or a pop, or if I want to buy a book, a video game, a movie, etc.

[Greebo]

Zac and I each get 20$ a week for fun money. I cannot bring myself to call it blow money because that always makes me think of drug money. haha.

Fo' shizzle!

I always stash 1/2 of mine somewhere. Not sure what I am saving up for, but I am saving up all the same. The other 1/2 I use if I wanna stop and buy a snack or a pop, or if I want to buy a book, a video game, a movie, etc.

You women and your security glands...

[Holly]

I have about $50.00 a month that I can use however I want.
A new blouse or movie, book or yarn etc.
This month I put in a new bank account .
( we don't have a clothes budget because we hardly ever buy any new ones )

[forHISglory]

We don't really have a concept of "blow" money or "fun" money anymore. It was important at an earlier stage of our lives, but at this point, it's not necessary.

When we did use this type of money, we had about $5 a month each (keep in mind $5 then was worth more!). We used it for whatever, no questions asked. Hubby was into collecting Marvel comics and he used it to fund his hobby. He also liked to buy a candy bar every so often. I used mine for yardsales. Admittedly, what I bought at yard sales was often kid stuff, and not stuff for me. Back in those days, I had little time or money to have lunch with girl friends, but now that's an important time for me, so I spend about $10 a month on that now.

[Russ]

Do you think $100/month each is too much?

[Greebo]

These days I tend to use my own blow money on breakfast or lunch 1 or 2 times a week. I was buying sunflower seeds, but then we bought a 5 gallon bucket of the things...

[ladykemma2]

Do you think $100/month each is too much?

i get 100 a month.

[forHISglory]

Russ, it's difficult to give advice on whether $100 a month is too much or not. If you make minimum wage, for example, YES! it's too much. If you are pulling in $55,000 a year and have no dependents, then it's not too much. It also depends on your needs and cravings. If you and your wife have a sense of satisfaction with this amount and it is not interfering with other financial obligations, then go for it.

I would suggest being flexible with this and experiment from month to month on the amount. You might try tallying up what you expect to spend it on and see if this amount would satisfy. You might try starting with a lower amount and see if it will suffice. Stay open to change!

$100 a month would be too much for us, but we are different people, with a different lifestyle, different needs, different goals. We're all so different! But I'm glad that you are seeking intelligently the answer for your family.

[Ceashels]

We changed our "blow" money twice since starting the system. It was initially $50 a week but that was just way too much for us. It has since come down to $30/week or $120 a month. Since the necessities are already taken care of in the budget my wants seem to be infrequent, but I am a saver so part of my "blow" monies goes into the drawer for something later.

[Mom23boys]

Zac and I each get 20$ a week for fun money. I cannot bring myself to call it blow money because that always makes me think of drug money. haha.

.

LOL! When I was trying to explain a budget to DS#1 and tell him he needed to set aside so much a week for 'blow money,' he said the same thing. He said that it sounded like something he is supposed to go buy drugs with. :ANYWORD: So, he calls it his fun money instead.

[Russ]

Does everyone dole out money each week or at the start of the month?