Even the scheduled budget can go wrong.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-20-2008, 02:08 AM

Yeah, that's about how I feel right now. I sat down this past weekend, got the budget all set out, found that we could slide three paychecks into this budget month and also do the same for October. That's wickedly good for our debt snowball payment. I had everything figured into the budget, including the debt snowball, and we're looking at being ahead again.

Then I get a nice little shock into financial reality today.

DH comes home and goes, "Oh yeah, Evelyn made a big mess out of my paycheck." I look at him and go, "bad or good mess?". He says, "Oh, this one is bad. Instead of paying me for 80 hours and 9 hours overtime, I got 40 hours and 9 hours overtime."

I think my stomach tried to come out of my throat.

The good news is that in all of this, they're going to try to fix it before Thursday. Another bit of good news? That EF might be needed and it might not. The only two bills we have besides mortgage and groceries is the VISA, which I decided on paying $118 this month and the cell phone, which was $90.

I'm trying so hard not to dip into that EF. It's taking every bit of willpower not to dip into it. We already took the excess out of the EF (we had over 1k in there anyways) to help buffer my mom's visit. However, we have a $65 school fee due by August 29th. I'm already taking $165 out of savings that I had earmarked back in May when we started saving in the first place, plus we have a $162 check still waiting to be deposited into DH's account. The bad news in all of this is that it's 2 days till DH's payday and he has $48.54 in there. I'm resisting taking cash out of his savings to put into checking, but I don't want him to go into overdraft.

What should I do? He still needs smokes and he's been eating out again. That has me worried. I don't want to be a nag to him about it, but it has my stomach in knots right now. Should I pull out of the EF to cover, then build it back up? I'll feel like such a failure if I do. We have gas in the van and plenty of food, plus all of our bills are caught up. I get money tomorrow and he gets paid Thursday. Right now, we're looking at about $350 + 295.31 until the 29th when I get my VA payment if he doesn't get that extra 40 hours in his check before Thursday. If he does, then we're ok but I need to prepare for the worst. This weekend is my two-week shopping trip. We have a stockpile but I need things around the house.

I hate when things don't go as planned.

Edited to include:

I did the math. I get paid $295.31 by the end of the week. DH gets paid $749.36 on the 21st. Here is our budget between now and September 4th:

Income

749.36 (DH payday without the other 40 hours)
295.31 (kids' tax benefits)
450.00 (my military pension)
--------
1494.67

Expenses

1) Cell - $90.51
2) VISA - $118.00
3) Car Ins - $94.76
4) House Ins - $50.79
5) Prop Tax - $105.00
6) Home Alarm - $33.59
7) Life Ins - $12.95
8) Acct Fee (DH checking) - $15.95
9) Mortgage - $333.74

Total : $855.29

1494.67
-855.29
--------
639.38

The above total, $639.38, does not include cash spent on gas and groceries ($240) and smokes plus DH's lunch. I also did not include DS' school fees ($65) or the bus fee for other DS ($165) because I can draw out of the EF for those and put the cash back in. I also did not include the $162 check we have, waiting to be deposited from DS' dental work. In all reality, we'd only be pulling $68 from the EF.

$165 + $65 - $162 = $68 out of checking

**Greebo** · 08-20-2008, 06:10 AM

A paycheck shortfall counts in my book as a temporary emergency. It's beyond your control. If you need to dip into the EF to cover the shortage, then when you get the money back, you put that money back into the EF.

DH falling off the wagon ,however, is the bigger problem, and needs to be addressed.

**LexTysMommy** · 08-20-2008, 07:43 AM

Me, myself would not pull from the EF, just pretend its not there. I myself would tell hubby we are short $68 and have him help cut costs, or cut back on groceries until next paycheck.

Is there a bank you can get totally free checking? I cant see spending $16 on that every month! And maybe if all else fails call cell phone company and ask to make partial pay until next pay period? good luck!

**Ceashels** · 08-20-2008, 08:40 AM

If I don't pack Dh's lunch and have it waiting for him on the table or by the door, he eats out. I have most things prepacked for 2-3 days at a time so all I or he needs to do is throw stuff in the bag. But, I need to do it for him. I don't know why and I don't always care, but it keeps us on budget better and eating healthier. Maybe you just need to hide his car keys in the fridge.

**Greebo** · 08-20-2008, 08:49 AM

DH eats out using his blow money these days, when he eats out.

DH doesn't pack his own lunch because its neither a habit nor a priority for him. DH would be perfectly content to eat lunch out all the time. DH eats his packed lunch because its a priority for DW that DH do so.

**mommy4ever** · 08-20-2008, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

DH eats out using his blow money these days, when he eats out.

DH doesn't pack his own lunch because its neither a habit nor a priority for him. DH would be perfectly content to eat lunch out all the time. DH eats his packed lunch because its a priority for DW that DH do so.

TSK TSK...lol. all the grumbling...

**Squirt** · 08-20-2008, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

DH eats out using his blow money these days, when he eats out.

DH doesn't pack his own lunch because its neither a habit nor a priority for him. DH would be perfectly content to eat lunch out all the time. DH eats his packed lunch because its a priority for DW that DH do so.

That's kind of bizarre considering the advice you hand out to other people here. I'm curious to see if you have frugal defense for this (like my bf does- he gets many lunches at reduced prices because of his profession.)

**Greebo** · 08-20-2008, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Squirt

That's kind of bizarre considering the advice you hand out to other people here. I'm curious to see if you have frugal defense for this (like my bf does- he gets many lunches at reduced prices because of his profession.)

I didn't say it made sense frugally.

That's the "Greebo can be a very big little boy about some things" personality showing through.

**Samigirl** · 08-20-2008, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

DH eats out using his blow money these days, when he eats out.

DH doesn't pack his own lunch because its neither a habit nor a priority for him. DH would be perfectly content to eat lunch out all the time. DH eats his packed lunch because its a priority for DW that DH do so.

You two are funny!

To the OP...sorry you're having problems getting your husband back on board. Have you had a budget meeting with him since the short paycheck? Men tend to be problem solvers. Perhaps if you showed him exactly how tight things will be without dipping into the EF...and if you tell him you really don't know what to do about it....he'll help you come up with a plan. If that doesn't work, don't beat yourself up if you have to dip into the EF. Sometimes, it helps to remember that not everything (like short paychecks!) is under your control.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-20-2008, 11:23 AM

I emailed DH this morning and basically gave him the breakdown of how much he had in his account now, how much income we were getting before the first, and what I wanted to do with the cash. I asked him what his opinion was and I usually don't make financial decisions that affect the both of us without asking him first. I feel I owe that to him and it gives him the sort of respect we were missing when we were blowing our cash on everything we could.

I would have called him but his cell went dead last night and I hate calling him on the work line. He checks his email a lot and it's been really busy for him at work with his boss out of town two weeks and another co-worker out for three weeks.

I think my goal will be to pull from the EF only when absolutely necessary and then replenish what I take out of it when I get extra cash. DH will be like, "Well, isn't that what it's there for...emergencies?". My mom even offered to treat us out this weekend since money is tight, so that's a ton of help. Her reasoning? "I don't want to take this Canadian money back with me."

**Squirt** · 08-20-2008, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

I didn't say it made sense frugally.

That's the "Greebo can be a very big little boy about some things" personality showing through.

That's what I thought.

I just wanted YOU to say it.

**Greebo** · 08-20-2008, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Squirt

That's what I thought.

I just wanted YOU to say it.

I am a firm believer in total self-honesty.

**suzysaver** · 08-20-2008, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Samigirl

You two are funny!

To the OP...sorry you're having problems getting your husband back on board. Have you had a budget meeting with him since the short paycheck? Men tend to be problem solvers. Perhaps if you showed him exactly how tight things will be without dipping into the EF...and if you tell him you really don't know what to do about it....he'll help you come up with a plan. If that doesn't work, don't beat yourself up if you have to dip into the EF. Sometimes, it helps to remember that not everything (like short paychecks!) is under your control.

Completely agree.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-20-2008, 12:24 PM

After I got off the forums, I went to pick up Dakota at school. On the way there, DH called me on my cell. He let me know that they are cutting the guys who get paid hourly a check for what they messed up on. It'll be ready by either tomorrow or Friday. Crisis averted on that one!

We also talked about the lunches thing and about how I didn't want to hound him over spending cash eating out. He was ok with that and just let me know it was primarily a thing where he was getting up early and forgetting his lunch. I told him I'd put his lunch upstairs and a note on his keys, reminding him to take it with him. I also told him I was just concerned about both of our accounts going into overdraft and he was totally understanding of that.

Now I can go back to my regularly-scheduled overobsession with the budget.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-20-2008, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by LexTysMommy

Me, myself would not pull from the EF, just pretend its not there. I myself would tell hubby we are short $68 and have him help cut costs, or cut back on groceries until next paycheck.

Is there a bank you can get totally free checking? I cant see spending $16 on that every month! And maybe if all else fails call cell phone company and ask to make partial pay until next pay period? good luck!

Sadly, they don't have a fee waiver on any of the accounts at his bank. Mine are only waived because I have a joint account with FIL who gets his fees waived due to age.