Categories: life, saving, spending
Background-I’m in a spending reduction challenge
with 3 other personal finance bloggers,
Jacq @ RichMomSingleMom, Christine @ MoneyFunk, Laura @ MovetoPortugal &, and one outside moderator, Jacob @ EarlyRetirementExreme … and it’s not going too well!
Update, I’m doing amaaazing…..my husband, not so much.
I get home from teaching last night, and my husband not only ate dinner out…. but indulged in his hobby, memorabilia collecting….$7.00 on a box of baseball cards & $2.60 for a pack of boston baked beans (not the healthy type, the candy).
His response, “You mean I’m on the challenge too?” I responded with, “I can’t cut you out of the budget (much as I might like too), can I?”
Another incident…..He went to the grocery with me this week. Note to self, go to the store alone. He does not look at prices!
This is the same guy who on a trip to England did not know his surname. And to put it all in context, he is world renowned in his field (whatever that is)…Go figure?
To all of you on the sidelines, please cheer me on, I need your support!!!! Let me know what to do, I can’t control my husband!
I don’t have any quick solutions on the spousal challenge (after all, I’ve been working on mine for 6 years and there is still a ways to go
) … here’s my slow method though
http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/09/how-do-i-get-my-spouse-to-go-along-with-my-frugal-plans.html
Ha ha ha ha ha…. I really like this man for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on.. He goes against all my frugal sensibilities!
Anyway keep up the good work and hopefully you can rope him in to understanding (or lock him in the basement).
My husband and I have a shared account for the household bills, but separate personal accounts for everything else. It works beautifully – could be a shock to the system though!
‘what I’m on the challenge too?’ too funny!!
I don’t have any suggestion unless you try my approach…make them really scared about spending anything….LOL..only joking
Obviously being single and all I don’t have any solutions, but…
Maybe if you kept him REALLY busy doing something else so that neither of you had the time or energy to spend any money?
What if you kind of pulled his expenses out of the pot and had two percentage differences? Then if his extreme $9 decadence makes you lose in a category, you can hold it over his head for years that it was because of him.
OTOH, you’re actually doing pretty good I think. I wonder if that’s one of the biggest difficulties for many people – how to control that uncontrollable S.O.
Forest, Ms. Thrifty, Laura, Jacq, Thank you all for the wealth of comments and suggestions. They will certainly keep me going for the next month at least. Fortunately, his “hobby splurge” was under $10.. it could have been worse, he could be into expensive electronics!
Best regards, Barb
@Barb, this is hilarious! I’m enjoying being a voyeur.
LOL. Barb… I am having the same issue w/the husband! If you find a way, PLEEZe let me know.
$1.50 for a cup of coffee in a week’s time? Pretty dang good!
I so need to do a catfight update (had personal stuff to attend – lacking time at the moment). Promise to do so real soon!
Oh ya, I forgot to say… I think my former frugalite ways is what caused us to go from a joint account to separate bank accounts. Choke hold on the finances.
Shawn & Christine- I’m glad someone is laughing….. acutally, I’m laughing too-:) This challenge stuff is about to push me over the edge. Today, he (the husband) decides he doesn’t want to bring lunch but go to Subway!! Thank goodness he selected Golden Corral for dad’s day meal!!!
Oh, I might as well fess up here- Yesterday at Target, was so hungry, all my mindful ways went out the window after indulging in a $3.65 pizza!
I guess it’s not horrible!
I have to say I throw my support to the husband. For crying out loud, he just bought himself a card, some candy, and a sandwich. This guy is representing so send him so love you tight wads. Didn’t she say he is world known? You all have got to be out of your minds!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go big dawg go!!!!!
Maybe the first step is not to use words like “control” we non naturally frugal (or extreme frugal in this challenge) husbands tend to rebel like 13 year olds.
I do know that I would respond positively to maybe an explanation of the challenge and what happens if you “win” the challenge
@Evan-YES YES YES- My husband, (AKA mi Carino) will definitely go for the opportunity to “WIN.” Yea, controlling is a method frequently practiced yet rarely successful!! Thanks, Barb
What is a surname? The only thing I can say is that the $7.00 he spent on baseball cards this week may be worth hundreds or thousands in the future….did he get a Strasburg rookie card?
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