I guess I should consider myself lucky my dh refuses to go to the grocery store! I do try to keep his drinks and snacks on hand though. But what gets me is when he stops at the little corner store to buy a drink or something that we already have at home. Dork!

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Proud mommy to adorable Kinsley

MY BLOG!

I try and stock up on some snack that DH will like, especially for the weekend. He even has his own little space in the pantry. The kids are not allowed to take Daddy's snacks (of course he always shares with them).

I've found the more I have on hand, the less he needs to go out. And it also makes him feel special that I get things just for him.

I am replying about everyone talking about there DEAR (loving, kind, wonderful) Husbands who don't go grocery shopping and don't understand what you go through shopping.

Here's my two cents, because that's all I can afford, on the subject: If your husband wants gatorade for work, then buy in bulk. If you want to save money, then buy him a bottle of water and a box of those little packages of gatorade mix. Tell him to mix a drink at night and put it in the fridge. Now you have saved money, saved the environment and saved his waist line from buying fat chips and snacks at the grocery store.

Your husband doesn't do what most men are supposed to do. KNowwhat you want, get what you want, and get out. That's how we shop for Christmas, birthday's and anniversary's (when we remember).

I'm know expert because today, my wife and I will talk about the 21 day spending freeze and I will give up the $1 pop from the machine. Maybe in 21 days I can hit 210 lbs.

I guess this is just a man thing! Tonight my DH went to the store for bread, diapers, and cat food. He comes home after spending $56!! He bought stuff that was "on sale and we needed it". We may have needed it, but it wasn't in my budget for the week! UGH! so annoying! Just know I feel your pain!

My husband doesn't do this so I have been reading only halfheartedly. But it seems like there are men that really like shopping, or at least shopping for food that is near and dear to their hearts.

Maybe this isn't a budgeting problem. Just like emotional issues sabotage our efforts, their issues compound it. What is the answer? Men don't usually like to talk about such touchy feely stuff. Give them a food budget apart from yours? Let them have all of the snack/splurge budget? You control the basic nutritious meal needs?

When one person takes the finances, it doesn't fix the other persons spending habits.

Cathleen

I know what you are saying. My DH says he's on board with my 'plan'. He agrees we spend overspend, that we need to be more aware, that the only way to improve our financial picture is to improve the way we shop, think etc......

We were shopping. He wanted deli meat. I was picking out fresh produce. He asked if I wanted him to go get the meat. My thoughts? Sure, how much damage can he do with that? (See, I fired him from grocery stores about a year ago. Because he didn't pay enough attention and bought way expensive stuff. Once I had him stop for milk. He reached way high on the top shelf to get the milk for $5/gal, where below there was milk for $2.99!) Anyways back to the other night........ When we checked out I found out he bought meat that was $6/lb!!!!! I calmly asked if he knew how much he paid for it? No, why? When I told him he was like, "Is it made of Gold or what?" This store clearly shows the prices of everything in there deli case. I asked if he'd looked at the price. No, he couldn't see the price because people were in his way. I asked if he had seen the price if he would have still bought it. No. See, the problem, he would never have thought to look at the price. I tried telling him he needs to be more aware of what he is spending. I calmly told him if he thinks a price is too high he needs to look for something else. This store always has some type of deli meat on sale, I told him that's what I would have bought. He got defensive. So I dropped it for the time.

I don't feel a solution is to have him stay out of the stores. We have two small kids, live out in the country and in a snowing region. I would love, if he's out, for him to be able to stop at the store and pick up a few things without totally breaking the bank. He needs to be more aware of what he's paying for things. How hard is that? I did tell him I would love to just go buy what we needed and not look at the price, to get the brand I wanted, to get the size I wanted, to not have to worry about anything. Shopping would be so much more enjoyable. But we will never get anywhere if I did that and if he continued doing so.

He is a cheap skate... and not in a good way either. We'll walk through the whole store and leave with 3 things because he says that everything costs to o much. I tell him "I know! that is why I make a list and use coupons, compare sales and try to keep the pantry stocked up" He says I hate it when you do that because Then I can'thave whaT I want when I want it! He never wants what is supposed to be for dinner each night, even though I ask him in advance what sounds good or what he hasn't had in awhile! Men!

I've actually returned items DH has bought that were not on the list. He didn't like it, but did understand why I did it once I showed him the checkbook and bills. He loves Gatorade too, and buys a case of it at BJ's since it's cheaper than the grocery store or Walmart. It's hard to get him to understand and he has actually said that since he makes the $$ then he should decide how to spend it. We won't even get into what happened after that! It has taken him a long time to understand why I'm so frugal, but he's finally coming around (after 10 years).

Okay, that is hilarious! For some reason I think if I ever tried that he would just make sure he opened all the packages before he got home. Thankfully my husband hates shopping. However, the few times I've asked him to stop by the store on the way home for one thing he comes home with a bag full of junk food. Personally, I think it's because he's hungry after work and everything looks good to him.

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Jenny, wife to Brad, mommy to two crazy little kids with one on the way!

My dh knows I have "a system" (making a weekly menu and shopping list by the store's weekly ad), and that I usually have a stockpile of items in the freezer or pantry. When making my menus, I often ask him, "Is there anything in particular you'd like for dinner this week?" to get his input.

He doesn't often go to the store, unless I give him a short list that is very specific - the item, the name brand, the size, the price, and sometimes even the aisle number in which it can be found! He prefers it that way. I learned that if I write that something is 10 for $10, I'd better note how many I want or he'll pick up all 10! lol.

I'm lucky he does not stop at convenience stores at all. However, he will use ATMs that aren't our bank's, and end up charging us bank fees between $1.50 and $2.50, which drives me absolutely crazy because a) I usually have cash to give him, and b) our bank's ATM is on his way to work! To his credit, however, I think he's trying to improve on this.

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Attaining financial freedom is like eating an elephant . . . it takes one bite at a time.