Ok, so my husband doesn't run up credit cards or anything, but we're a single income family and it seems like he nickels and dimes us broke every week. I told him I would do the bills and the financial end of things. So I gave him $60 a wk. for gas and the paper and breakfast if he doesn't have time to make something. The problem is when he runs out, he takes the checkbook! Since I'm not working, I feel like I can't say anything about how much he spends and he feels the same way. If the argument arises then it boils down to him saying "you need a job". Well , I did have a full time job before and the scenario was the same. You spend more when you make more. He's always stopping at McDonald's or somewhere for something to eat before or after class (he's also a full time student which adds to the guilt). I don't spend any money on myself or buy a lot for our 2 kids. How do I get him to just be happy w/ the income we have. My kids and I have no problem sacrificing wants so I can stay home w/ them, why does he?
Help

Wish I had an answer but I have to say that my dh is pretty good about sticking to his budget. In fact if I tell him its tight he will say thats" ok I dont need any money this week". Sometimes I'll give him ten or twenty anyway and he will still have it in his wallet at the end of the week. Try increasing his budget to 80 and explain that he just simply cant have anymore than that.

UNfortunatly you cant teach him to be happy with what he has, he has to learn that all on his own.

My dh is not a big spender, I pack him his lunch and he doesn't mind. He doesn't go out. But when he does have to shop for something which is usually big items, a new tractor, or car fixed he doesn't shop around. Even for gas he doesn't even look at the price.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

Well my dh and I both work and it's no better here. He doesn't understand the concept of waiting to buy something. He has even (gasp) paid for express shipping on something I consider stupid just because he didn't want to wait. I won't even post how much my dh takes out of his check each week cuz it's embarassing and he still takes the check book if he feels he needs too.

Sorry no help here
Chris

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My husband is the same way! It drives me crazy! We are also a one income family, but he doesn't want me to work, and i don't want to either. I like being home with the kids. But he's always saying we need to save money, but it seems that it doesn't apply to him. He says since he works he should be able to get what he wants. Wish I had some good advice for you, but I don't know what that would be.

My Dh spends too, but we are trying to control it, He has money in an account for this reason, he can spend it and once it is gone it is gone and to replenish ithe better work overtime!
But I keep him updated and when I tell him he will freak out and control his spending. he has a check card, but he wont buy anything big on it before checking with me. He is learning. I cant trust him to go shopping for me, he would come back with double the items that I asked him for.

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We buy things we dont need,
with money we dont have,
in order to impress people
we dont like?
(Ramsey, D)

Are we married to the same guy? :D Brian spends a lot on things I would never even consider. $9.00 for a smoothie at Smoothie King after he works out is pretty common. $9.00 for a smoothie?!?! He is also big on buying hardcover books at the bookstore and yet DD and I are at the library once or twice a week. A lot of it has to do with that he doesn't plan ahead. He could come home between working out and karate and I could make him a smoothie, but he doesn't think to do that. Or he could eat breakfast at home instead of going out everyday (lunch too!) Just stuff like that.

I wish I had an answer. I was having the same problem with my husband but then one day he just relized that we were to far in debit because of his spending and found some ways to cut back to save us money. Maybe you could give your husband a snack to take with him so he wont stop at McDonalds.

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My dh would spend $9 for a smootie if he wanted one too. Me, I'd say I could make our whole family smooites for less than that and pass.

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I have you all beat: my husband smokes (Marlboros) and drives a gigantic (deisel) truck. My littlest munchkin is on six ounces of Pedialyte a day, and a while back my husband brought home the generic brand. Um, I don't think so. Not unless you want to smoke Palmals. Jackass.

But...the decision for me to stay home is a joint one. He would never bother me with any type of BS comments about me not working.

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The more people have studied different methods of bringing up children the more they have come to the conclusion that what good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is best after all.
- -- Benjamin Spock