Thursday, January 15, 2009

More talk about relationships!

Yeah, I haven't talked about the guy/girl phenomenon for a couple of weeks, so I'll get right back to my endless rant.


Here's something that completely confuses me, and I kind of want some feedback on it.

I'm going to give you a personal account of something that's happening in my household, and things that you might do to resolve it, ok?

I'm terrible, and I do mean TERRIBLE with money. Sure, there are times where I can save up enough when it's a short-term goal. But budgeting and keeping to it? Nah, not so much.

My wife, on the other hand, is a budgeting genius. She can plot and plan each payment out to the last penny before even glancing at the checkbook balance.

As I've posted in my profile, we're getting ready to take my kids to Disneyland here next month. Because of this, we really need to save up some cash to take along with.

I remind the wife, she nods. I trust it will get done. She's the budgeting wizard, after all!

Um.. It hasn't happened yet.

Now we're by no means hurting in the paycheck department. We both make enough to comfortably live. Yet with the slow economy, sales have dropped, so work at my warehouse is thinning. This cuts back on the overtime I could count on, as well as giving me opportunities to leave early. Yeah, I know I shouldn't take them (and I've been good lately about staying!) but when there's a chance of getting out of here with my sanity somewhat intact for the day, I jump at it before it gets a chance to make a break for it!

Still, even with these issues, we make enough to more than cover our bills, and stay well off.

Where does the cash go?

Do I take into account the need for replacing clothes the kids wear out?

Probably not.

How about the sundries like dishwashing detergent and such?

More than likely, no.

So where do I get off complaining about this?

Maybe it's the fact that even though I completely SUCK at budgeting, I'd still like to be kept involved in our family's finances. To know where the money's going. To know how much (or how little) we do (or don't) have.

Is that asking too much?

6 comments:

Tracy Rambles On And On said...

The Hubs is the budget guy in our house.
The only problem is, we are both really bad at saving. And heaven forbid we get a check (like income tax or that tax thing that W. Bush did) and pay some bills!
No, no. We (by we, I mean he) needed a flatscreen T.V. bigger than the house, and I, of course, needed some new handbag or something.

Now that I think about it, you have me worried. We're planning on going to the land of the mouse next winter and now I'm wondering who is going to save the spending money???

PinkPiddyPaws said...

Yes... it is asking too much! ha..ha... You have NO IDEA. I went through this with my Ex. he had no freaking clue about the budget or why money had to go here or there but by gollee he wanted to have his say. Used to make me want to smother him in his sleep. :D

gottaluvme3 said...

Fortunately for us, we planned to go when we would have our income tax money for spending! I let you know where the money goes...No, I dont type it all up on the computer and give you a monthly review, but I tell you when I spend it! And you know I dont spend it on anything we dont need. In fact, I have to remind YOU that we can't afford something! LOL

Jaime said...

it's not too much to ask for. but reading this, i'm happy that hubby and i never consolidated our bank accounts. i have my money - i can spend it or not spend it however i want. he has his money and can do the same. now if he touches the few bucks in the joint account without telling me, THEN there would be hell to pay!

NannyGarcia said...

I'm awful with money too. We're all in this together, my friend.

Dana said...

We do what Jamie does - a his, hers and ours account. When it first started, we contributed proportionately to the joint account (based on our earnings) and what was left was ours to spend however we chose.

I'm not so sure this was ever a good idea - it set up a bit of jealousy as he made more money (a lot more) than I did so could buy the iPod Touch while I was saving for the Suffle. In other words, because he makes more, he is the one who gets the better stuff.

In a marriage, I'm not so sure that was in our best interest.