Can't get on top!

[Wish_Bear]

I can't understand why we can never get on top of our finances! My husband is in the Navy and earns a good living but we just cannot seem to save anything at the end of the month. I am not working so I guess there is no extra money from me but I am so stressed about money I can't think straight. We are 28 and have a 3yr old and a 6 month old. We don't own a home, we have a loan on our car, the credit card is almost maxed but there is nothing left to pay that off. With child care fees, petrol and food prices, clothing for to growing kids etc it's just a struggle. I worry all the time about money but my DH has no such problem. He just spends whatever he wants and i feel I cannot say anything as he is earning the money. All our friends tell us we should have bought a house etc by now but we can't afford Sydney prices and there is no Naval base in a cheaper state like QLD.

i guess i am writing this to see if anyone else is in our position, or if anyone has any advice.

Thanks for listening to me rant.:gloomy:

[sam's mum]

Hi,

Not sure if this will help or not, but one of the things that I did when I was trying to get spending under control was keep a note book with me and every time that I spent money, I wrote it in the book and what it was for. It was a bit shocking how much all the little things added up to. Make a list of everything that you spend money on - child care, payments, food, rego, insurance, petrol, clothes... Add up the outgoings and the incomings to see if there should be money left over, or if you are trying to make an unworkable budget work.

If it is unworkable - then something has to go. This may mean consolidating your loans and credit card into a lower payment, or getting a smaller car or having the kids in child care less. If you are not working could you socialise them at playgroups and save this money.

If it shows that your budget should be workable, its back to the notebook to see where the extra money is going. The thing that will make it harder for you is getting your dp on board with it. But if you can show him actual figures - you earn $100 pw and we spend $110pw (made up figures obviously) - then he may take it a bit more seriously.

I hope that it works out for you.

ps. He does not earn the money btw. He goes to paid employment and receives money, but you are a partnership and you make it possible for him to do that employment and so you both earn the money.

[DB&O]

I tried to do quotes but I couldn't figure out how.

This is really well said Sam's Mum, without you there doing the job at home his life wouldn't run so smoothly so cut yourself a break, you also work hard & he needs to remember that.


This is just a suggestion but have you tried doing over a budget & then giving him a set amount of spending money a week or fortnight, this is money that he can choose to spend on whatever he likes but when its gone its gone. There isn't any more until next week or fortnight & try using cash for all your purchases. Like when you do your grocery shopping take him with you & give him the cash to hold onto & when you get to the counter he then has to take out the money to pay, it may help him to understand where the money goes & make it a little more real to him.
Good luck:fingerscrossed:

[jaimie]

HAHA! i thought this thread was about sex!!:laughing:
sorry..

[LittleBoysRock]

HAHA! i thought this thread was about sex!!:laughing:
sorry..


Me too!! We must have dirty minds!! lol :laughing:

As for the finances, DH and I made up a budget and we put money into a savings account for bills every pay day. It means that we always have the money there waiting for when the bills come in.

[Wish_Bear]

Thanks for all your replies. I will definately do a budget and write down everything I spend etc. so hopefully I can keep track of where our money goes.
Thanks again.