[Meshelleee]

We've been living on a single income for almost 2 years now. I was the one working while my husband was looking for a job. I'm also in charge of the finances because he had some trouble with bills when he used to live on his own. Well, now I am having a problem letting him use an ATM or debit card because he buys things without telling me. I've asked him several times to call me before buying anything, yet he never does and on occasion he'll tell me after the fact.

I want to take away his access to money and give him an allowance. Has anyone here ever been on an allowance or had to do it to their spouses before?

Thanks

 

[homesteadmamma]

First a warm welcome to the village.

There are many here who use allowances. I know it works.

 

[DaisyLady]

Allowances are a great idea. I am using that strategy with my 18 yr old DS right now. He is on a disability pension and I'm not sure how trustworthy he will be. He likes it cause he can spend the money on anything and he doesn't have to account for it.

 

[thrifty gal]

My dh gets an allowance every week. This works great for us! I highly recommend it.

 

[zakity]

We do that. It makes it easier. He gets some pocket money that he can spend on whatever he wants. We also have a $ rule: anything over $20 or so and we have to "ask" the other person if we can buy it. We use it as a "check" so neither of us spends money that we really don't need to. It partially is a "double check" also to see if we have the money in the account because he never knows how much is in there (his fault because he doesn't ask or pay attention to finances-don't want to sound like I am keeping him from the information).

It did take a long time for my husband to "get" being frugal. Now, we are living on just his income and we have alot less debt than most of the people who are our age.

 

[Emerald_Mommy]

In our experience allowances work, just be careful how you word the suggestion! We both enjoy our own money, although I tend to save my allowance for awhile and he does not, which can frustrate, too. Good luck!

 

[forestdale]

I'm going against the trend here. I wouldn't like to be told I had to have an allowance. If I gave myself an allowance and stuck to it I'd be fine but I wouldn't like having my DH tell me that I had only so much I could spend.

Maybe it's time for your husband to look after the finances for a while so he knows where it all goes, then you might not have to tell him, he might give himself his own small allowance.

Good luck.

 

[TanyaMT]

DH and I only have an allowance for lunches each week (cash at the beginning of the week to last all week). Otherwise, we are both pretty responsible and spend as little as possible anyway. We are actually to the point where we probably can decrease our allowance as we have gotten used to eating out less.

 

[pamy]

My DH and I are also on an allowance. We get $20 a week and while that doesn't seem like much, there are many weeks that I don't spend mine. We have saved @ $80 from our allowances since the first few weeks of this year.

 

[lilmiznv]

Ive had to use the "allowance" system with my husband. He thinks as long as he has a card or a penny in his pocket he HAS to spend it, no matter how silly the purchase is.
Just find however much you can alot per payday for an allowance for BOTH you and him. Just make sure not to hound him on his silly purchases. That way he can save to spend on whatever he wants.
This also gives us a girls a chance to spend our allowance on all those scrapbookin supplies they gripe about!!!

 

[Early Bird]

Yup. We each get $90/month. It works very well for us.

 

[pkellyc]

Recently Dh's battery went in his truck 50 miles away at work. He called me in a panic "what should I do?" he asked. I told him to hitch a ride to the parts store and buy a new one. "But I only have $20!" he replied. My answer? Use your credit card!

Just goes to show that DH is fully trained now not to make any unauthorized (by me) credit card purchases. lol

The man is terrible with money, and he has come to realize we do much better with me managing it.

 

[zakity]

That is how mine is!! He would just go ahead and use the CC though because he knows that I pay it off every month and that I have money put back for emergencies.

I have all the information on a spread sheet on the computer, but he never looks at it. He just asks me. I think it is just easier for him to not have to think about it.

 

[grace1902]

Had to put my husband on an allowance years ago. I also moved our main savings account to a different bank so he wouldn't have access to it in the beginning - no ATM card we'd actually have to go in. Since he couldn't reach this particular bank with savings at mid-day, the problem stopped. 10 years later, no problems. He even prefers bringing a homemade lunch to the workplace cafeteria! Goes to show me there's hope for anyone! LOL :toothy:

 

[Mopsiehoney]

I guess my significant other and I are very different from everyone who has responded so far.

We keep our own checking accounts and then pay bills together. As long as we can put in our share of the bills (including food) we can do whatever we want with our money.

I really like having my own separate checking account. And if I have nothing in it then it's only my fault -- no one else's!

SELF EDIT:

Oops! Sorry ... didn't realize I was in the single income forum. Our situation is probably easier to manage because we have two paychecks coming in. Sorry!