but one of the stepkids is here and we're out of bread and breakfast meat so he and DH decided to get Whataburger Taquitos for breakfast.
DH didn't think to take money from the food envelope (just like he didn't think to take it for the chips or granola bars he got) so I removed the amount he spent from the envelope and hid it away. I need to make the point with him that breakfast taquitos and chips count against the food budget and maybe this will do it. Right now there's $16 hidden that came from that envelope for 'snacks and stuff'. When we go grocery shopping next time and he wonders why so much seems to be missing, I'll show him the envelope with the deductions for Whataburger and chip purchases (and whatever else is there at that point) and maybe he'll see what's going on.
I'm not sure if I should return that money to the food envelope after the point has been made or if I should stick it in savings or if I should do something else with it.
Opinions and suggestions welcome!
February 3rd, 2008 at 03:45 pm 1202053558
February 3rd, 2008 at 03:53 pm 1202053996
February 3rd, 2008 at 04:06 pm 1202054779
When you first start these programs, there can be fights because it feels like you can't spend what you normally do.
You might want to set up an envelope for such things as when the step-kid comes over and your husband can come up with ways to fund it. We use to sell aluminum for instance. I'm sorry it wasn't a special account; it was a category.
February 3rd, 2008 at 04:22 pm 1202055739
February 3rd, 2008 at 05:31 pm 1202059907
Whataburger does not equate to savings.
My step-grand daughter, who lives in Texas, though it was Water-Burger for years. Texas accent, I guess.
February 3rd, 2008 at 08:40 pm 1202071223
I called it Waterburger for years, too.
Oh, and I realized that even though there are three pay periods this month, one isn't until the last day of the month. So when we got back I readjusted the amounts in the envelopes to reflect two pay periods. Using three was just cutting it way too thin. So far no fights between us. We seem to be on the same page for the most part. It seems a little restrictive to DH but he told me on the way back from taking his son home, "That 3 months of living expenses is where I'm headed." That tells me he is on board all the way and although it might seem restrictive he understands. Woohoo!
February 3rd, 2008 at 10:55 pm 1202079324
I think that it's great that you and your husband are in this together. It saves alot of arguments.
In the beginning we had to have a smaller emergency of 1 month. Once we had that, we could aim for 2 months of emergency funds. It will grow. Don't worry about the small beginnings. Like Dave Ramsey says, you're now telling your money where to go instead of it telling you where it's going. You definitely have the right attitude. You're going to do fine. It's just a slow process in the beginning.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:07 pm 1202080056
It is good that you were able to discuss the "splurge" and that he realizes it wasn't in the budget. I understand that he probably needs to buy a treat for his son once in a while. It is nice to have even a small amount of money that is not "earmarked".
February 8th, 2008 at 12:03 am 1202428983