Help with DH's spending.

Annie Marie · September 2009

Hi! I'm new and mostly a lurker. This is the first day I've looked at this page and I've gotten so many great tips from you all already! Thanks!

My question is how do I get DH to stop spending?!?! He is constantly buying electronics, gadgets, nice clothes, jewelry for me, etc that I feel are completely unnecessary. We only have 6-7 more months with my income before I will SAH and we need to save every penny! I don't know what to do with him. Whenever I discuss it, he just says "I don't like living on a budget"... we're in trouble! Any ideas?

New Wife · September 2009

just sit down with him and show him where the money goes and discuss what you will need the money for. once my dh saw that the extra $200+ he was spending a month could pay for a months worth of groceries he thought about things a little bit more. tell him that the only way you will be able to SAHM is if you budget so he better get used to it!

kds24 · September 2009

Well obviously you need to work on this together, but if my DH was being dumb like that and refused to discuss it, I would set up a separate bank account for my salary so you are forced to live off of one salary. GL!

ClaireBennett · September 2009

kds24:
Well obviously you need to work on this together, but if my DH was being dumb like that and refused to discuss it, I would set up a separate bank account for my salary so you are forced to live off of one salary. GL!

Tha'ts what we did, we took a seperate account and put all of my paycheck into that account. That way we knew we'd be able to live off of his account alone and also so we'd have emergency $ if necessary. If the money isn't there, DH doesn't see it, he doesn't spend it... haha I was surprised how much spending money we had with just his salary anyway, so he didn't seem to take too much of a hit.

regenab · September 2009

I would try suggesting to him since you have 6-7 months before going to one income, to start living off one income now and banking the rest of the money. He may not like living on a budget because he is used to have the excess to spend and has no idea what it will be like to live on just one income. You can put the money in a savings account and build up a good emergency fund for yourselves. Unless he has the most secure job in the world (don't know what this is) having an emergency fund is just smart. What if he loses his job after you are no longer working, then what. A good idea is to have at least 6 months of his salary in the emergency fund. Sounds like a lot I know, but start with a goal of at least 3 months and then go for 6 months once you reach that goal.

My DH is military and there is pretty much no way he can lose his job but we still have an emergency fund. You never know when you will need it.

littlemermaid · September 2009

You need to start living off of one income NOW!!! Only use his income and you take your check and deposit it into an account that is not touched(i.e. an emergency fund account). This way you will get a quick reality check how your lifestyle and budget will be affected by living off of his salary only. You also will have a nice emergency fund built up from your checks too.

Dunkin · September 2009

I agree with the previous posters, plus would add additional spending needs to your budget. Set up seperate savings accounts now for extra things you will need when you live on one salary. I set up accounts in ING for a future baby 529 account, retirement savings for me, plus diaper and clothing allowance for the baby. These things all need to come from the one salary now too, not your pay that should be banked for your emergency fund.

imsoskarude · September 2009

Hey Annie Marie! Im a lurker, like you lol. I solved most of the money problems by handling all the money myself. I do 2 things: I take all the bills, add them up, and then deposit that money into my own *personal* account, that has no ones name but mine, and then whats left over, otherwise goes into the joint account, to which we both have access. This includes a savings account in my name only as well, so that way he doesn't have access to it. Its pretty much foolproof, and if anyone messes it up, then I only have myself to blame. It might seem a bit extreme, but he can be such a dope with money (and bills)

Help with DH's spending.

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