Wow it as only taken my DH 4 years to figure out that we should be using his bonuses to pay down debt. I have not seen his last few bonuses they are immediately spent on toys.

Finally today he says lets use my next 3-4 bonuses to pay down CC debt....it is about flipping time. He kept using the excuse that if he had to live in the city he wanted to have his toys...hence we are not able to pay down bills enough to move. Now if only he can commit to this we can pay down debt in a 2-3 years instead of many more.

I hope he agrees to stay in the city though. I like our town and like what it has to offer and would be bored in the country. Plus our city has 2 alternative schools at the middle school and high school level to send trouble makers to so we don't end up with so many hoods in our schools.

I also tell him it doe not make sense to move ro another part of the city because we would be paying $50,000 to 100,000 for the same size home in just a slightly nicer area that is actually closer to the worst part of our city.

Jen

That's great that he is finally on the same page as you. It always makes things easier when you are both agreed on the same goal and focused. Congrats.

If you aren't even going to consider a move until after the cc are paid off then I would just not even mention it too much in the mean time. Maybe he will have changed his mind in a couple years.

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Proud mommy to adorable Kinsley

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That is my hope to. The economy in our state is pretty bad. We are talking so bad that homes that were once selling for $300,000 or 400,000 are now selling for $220,000 and less. I told him we should stay where we are at until the market stabilizes no matter what.
I want to pay off all or most of our CC debt as well + at least half of our home equity loan. Then we can be moved before my oldest is in junior high.

Jen

I am with you. I can't wait until DH gets his Holiday bonus check! Last year we used it so I could take 2 months off with the baby before going back to work, but before this it would just get blown on stuff. I love it when DH and I are on the same page when it comes to money.

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Mom to Kaylee (10/2006)
Waiting on our second bundle of joy to arrive January 2009!

Yeah and now to convince him he has no need to pull out $40 with the ATM each week...and no need to pay $60 for a new game each month when he already has Game Fly and can rent them. I don't want to feel I am taking away from him by doing things that need to be done like buying the kids clothes and shoes, buying groceries, buying myself new clothes when I need them, etc. Sometimes I need to let the fridge and freezer almost go empty just to accomodate his need to spend, spend...spend.

Jen

Jen, My hubby is a video game fanatic too. Thank goodness he has agreed to stick with the gamefly and only buy a game once maybe twice a year. I let him know that I am so proud of him for going to work everyday and working hard to bring home the bacon. What I did..just yesterday was write down a budget along with short and long term goals, so he would see where his hard earned money is going. This put so much into perspective for him. Now he has jumped into the budget bandwagon with me. It made him see how every cent spent does add up. It takes time, but they do come around. Atleast most do. Keep doing what you are doing. You are helping your family out by doing so

Heres Hoping He Sticks to His Promise!! Its Great when couple sees Eye to eye on Finances!!

My DH too makes The majority of his Salary in one Lump sum the end of the year - We obviously Have to Live off of some - but the rest - who Knows where it goes??

My DH Doesn't Buy toys Per se - He likes to Be generous with his Money and Treat his Friends to Rounds of drinks - and Lunches and Dinners out-
Also He seems to need A new Golf club or two every Few Months
A sore sore subject of mine - Yes - But he works hard and Plays hard I guess -
Whatever -
This Year Half is Going into an Untouchable Savings account
Another small Portion I am paying Down some small CC Bills - and We always Pay off our yearly Dental CC

Plus I wish he only took out 40.00 a week!! He is now up to 70.00 a week -
And He doesn't even have to Buy Gas out of that - cause he has a Company gas card.
Whatever -

Taylyn you have my hubby but he spends his on new XBox games (his way to unwind) and on Mountain Biking. His bike is worth more than most of the cars people drive in our town...plus he needs new Jerseys. shorts, leg warmers, arm warmers, power gels, power bars, maintence, etc for using his bike. Well at least he lost 20 pounds from riding it

We have to discuss what is owed where tonight and he will probably get crabby about it. But at least he approached it with a smile and lets work together instead of his usual frown and grumpiness.

I am going to ask him to do the following and hope he complies

- reduce atm withdrawals to $20 a week
- put all or most of next few bonuses towards debt
- cut back to once a week most weeks to eating lunch out at work
- Do not ask him to cutback on gaming because it makes him happy

I am going to try to

- Get food packages from Angel Foods to cut costs (our groceries including cleaning products, personal products, dog food and TP is typically $400-500 a month)
- Take my shopping list to Save A Lot and get what I can there
- Try to cut back to once every other week to treating myself to a lunch or breakfast out
- Cook more
- say no more often when hubby is craving pizza

Jen