MSE Parents Club Part 5

BrunoM

weezl74 wrote: »

hi all, just reviewing my budget spreadsheet.

How much 'fun money' do you guys budget for each month for you and DH? For entertainment, hobby spends, drinks and food out, books and magazines... that kinda thing. I guess it's like the grown up equivalent of pocket money- all non-essential fun spends.:D

TIA for any answers, Love Weezl xxx

I... don't know I am deeply ashamed, I have a maths degree, work in finance and spend a lot of time on these boards!, but I've ended up saving 'whatever is left' each month, and not worrying about what we spend on the extras. Neither of us is very frivolous, but I am waay worse than OH - I transfer £80/month into her current account but she never spends all of it.

Realistically I guess, we spend maybe £250-300 a month on what you described. But I wish I knew better than I do. Our food budget is also sky-high, but at least I am aware of that ;p so that makes it ok

I am luckily well paid enough that I don't have to monitor every penny to ensure we feed the baby properly and so on; but I really should get a better overall grip to build our savings.

ladybirdintheuk wrote: »

Anyway, Izzy is with my Mum this afternoon, so must get the hoovering done while she isn't here. Poor baby is terrified of the noise, and hoovering whilst holding her is hard work!

Elijah was never bothered by these things before, but this morning I was giving him breakfast and making a smoothie at the same time, turned the blender on and he bawled it was very traumatic.

feelinggood wrote: »

Back from trip out.

Well done Feely! Good trip out, mummy friend, and healthy (big!) baby! :T

MrsTinks

Bruno you mean you're not as uptight about spreadsheets as the rest of us? :eek:
I am actually starting to worry about my spreadsheets... I'm only checking them once a day at the moment... Is there something wrong with me???

BrunoM

MrsTine wrote: »

Bruno you mean you're not as uptight about spreadsheets as the rest of us? :eek:
I am actually starting to worry about my spreadsheets... I'm only checking them once a day at the moment... Is there something wrong with me???

I work every day with spreadsheets - I have in fact had jobs in the past where I was employed solely due to my skill with spreadsheets! - and yet nowadays, I can't be bothered to use them for my own benefit :rolleyes: I am very bad.

I did do budgeting/debt spreadsheets when I had debt and needed to clear it, luckily I don't nowadays (although I would quite like a mortgage!)

weezl74

thanks all for the budget thoughts and estimates, any more gratefully recieved

I think I'll talk to OH about whether he'd like to up his fun money.


Searching, do you find that your DH is ok with no fun money? Mine feels that life is for living and although he's committed to saving like I am, he feels kinda trapped in a world where he can't buy a newspaper and a kit kat every now and then (not that I've ever imposed SUCH strict budgets I promise!) Also, do you or any of the other families where the woman mostly juggles the finances ever have an issue with OH feeling less of a real bloke, cos you've done the spreadsheets?

Thankfully not true for us, as OH just hates doing sums and he used to look after the money side of things and we'd end up getting fines for stuff and paying out lots of unnecessary money! But I know some 'blokey blokes' really like handling the money...

Bruno, you do yours right? Not that I see you as a blokey bloke :rotfl:(In my world this is a compliment, I hope it reads like that!!!!)

And tine, am I right in thinking that you and OH both look after your own pot of money (can't remember where on earth I picked that up from!)

Hope no-one minds the noseyness, just trying to have a budget review and really appreciate outside opinions, and MSE seems a safer place to ask about money than IRL, cos it's a bit taboo there!

MrsTinks

weezl74 wrote: »

And tine, am I right in thinking that you and OH both look after your own pot of money (can't remember where on earth I picked that up from!)

We do kinda... as in we have individual accounts and such - but if one of us runs out of money there is no "his and hers"... For obvious reasons I run out a lot quicker now than I used to (50% pay atm) so Hubby subs me But we've finally got a joint account so need to gradually move over bills etc to that

redmel1621

weezl74 wrote: »

Also, do you or any of the other families where the woman mostly juggles the finances ever have an issue with OH feeling less of a real bloke, cos you've done the spreadsheets?

Thankfully not true for us, as OH just hates doing sums and he used to look after the money side of things and we'd end up getting fines for stuff and paying out lots of unnecessary money! But I know some 'blokey blokes' really like handling the money...

Hope no-one minds the noseyness, just trying to have a budget review and really appreciate outside opinions, and MSE seems a safer place to ask about money than IRL, cos it's a bit taboo there!

Hi Weezl

I basically control all the money.....

dh is not a 'blokey bloke' but does get frustrated because he has to always check whether he can buy something, even a newspaper or choccy bar. This is NOT because I am tight, just simply down to the fact that we have very little money and he knows (as it has happened in the past) that even a newspaper can mean the difference between a dd bouncing, or not having 'quite' enough to buy baby milk etc etc.....

I have tried to set up separate pots but it just doesn't work out in real life!!!

[goes off daydreaming] One day, when we are rich....

Mel x

searching_me

weezl74 wrote: »

Searching, do you find that your DH is ok with no fun money? Mine feels that life is for living and although he's committed to saving like I am, he feels kinda trapped in a world where he can't buy a newspaper and a kit kat every now and then (not that I've ever imposed SUCH strict budgets I promise!) Also, do you or any of the other families where the woman mostly juggles the finances ever have an issue with OH feeling less of a real bloke, cos you've done the spreadsheets?


Hope no-one minds the noseyness, just trying to have a budget review and really appreciate outside opinions, and MSE seems a safer place to ask about money than IRL, cos it's a bit taboo there!

philip does not ask for a thing as he says if he does he takes away from the kids and house so since he dont ask for anything (and i mean once in a blue moon he'll ask for a yorkie :rotfl:) i get him the odd treat but its never that much ... coz hes the one that doesnt have an income he refuses to take any money as he say if he doesnt work then he doesnt feel entitiled to having anything :rolleyes: i love him for this he says as long as the bills are paid and the kids are fine and happy he doesnt want for anything else .... .... its ok be a nosey as you like got nothing to hide anything else im happy to answer x

MadDogWoman_2

Hi Everyone,

Just in from work so not had a chance to catch up yet, except for this page.

Re budget - mum and me do it between us - I'm a complete miser though which is why last weekends spending was so unusual.

Sorry but I need to rant - DH is searching for a part for his motorbike that's being to corrode - however he phones me at work today and tells me he's seen a bike that 2 years older than his current one and the guy is happy to swap it plus an extra £250, I had to put my foot down that's basically all our spending money for our holidays, and there is bound to be expensive things due to go very wrong on the older bike a lot sooner than his current 3 year old one.

(This is probably why I'm in control of the finances!)

MDW

BrunoM

weezl74 wrote: »

Bruno, you do yours right? Not that I see you as a blokey bloke :rotfl:(In my world this is a compliment, I hope it reads like that!!!!)

Yes, I do ours; I am probably not really a blokey bloke, which is fine with me ;p so I accept your compliment :beer:

I am generally a bit of a control freak - I think I'd find it hard for someone else to do our finances, not in a blokey way, but just because regardless of who it was it wouldn't be me and I would feel anxious not knowing all the details.

It works well for us cuz OH hates math, gets very stressed about money, and as a result is super-uber-awesome-cautious, which I'm not. I kind of feel that with no debts and an income which is way higher than what I used to once think of as "rich" (because I was dumb when young! not because I am actually wealthy...), I'm entitled to some treats I am slowly persuading OH round to my view... how very un-MSE :eek:

r.mac_2

hello all. I hope your LO has a great birthday Caz and hopefully the pram turned up Did she like the doll?

I had a lovely day. I'm still not right since the birth of LO though so off to the Doctors tomorrow. Not sure exaclty what's wrong but I'll report back if necessary

LO asleep even though it's tea time! Oh well.....she has another 15mins before I decide to wake her. She's fighting her afternoon nap these days as she thinks she doesn't need it....then flakes out late on meaning bedtime is in disarray!!!

re: teching LO for school. My sister is a teacher and says that the most important preparation for school is not necessarily alphabet and numbers. It's more practically helpful if they can dress/undress themselves (for P.E.), recognise their name written down, hold a pen/pencil, tie laces (or do up their own shoes if velcro etc), use cutlery if they are going to have school dinners and things like that. Those are the things schools don't have time to teach - the teachers can teach the rest