Budgets are for other people

There’s a good reason why I’m 50 years old and have never lived with a spending budget. Actually, there are a number of reasons: 1) I like to spend quite a bit more than budgets usually allow. 2) Budgets are hard. 3) I often see neat stuff that I want.

However, my new husband likes the idea of reining in our unnecessary spending so we have money to save for fun stuff like Mexican vacations, emergency appliance replacement and comfort in our old age – which is racing toward us with reckless abandon.

I know he’s right. (Hate when that happens.)

I was tossed into the tub of new experiences when I married him and moved from my hometown, kids and friends a year ago. I thought I’d got past most of the new experiences, but it seems that Living with a Budget was floating right up on top and I didn’t meet it until I broke the surface to gulp the sweet air of Feeling Comfortable.

Every two weeks we each get a cash allowance. We can save it for a big ticket item or we can fritter it away on Dutch Bros coffees, books, knitting paraphernalia, cool pens, craft supplies, etc. I, of course, am Team Fritter. In my book, “fritter” equals “enjoy,” which might be why he decided on the allowance thing.

Things have gone well until this week. I’ve already blown my allowance on my yoga class and some books and I have a whole week left. I really want to start a new knitting project and need to buy needles and yarn, but the $4 in my purse is not going to cut it. And a whole week without Dutch Bros? What to do??

Hubs says I’ll probably survive. I’m not sure, so I plan to spend the day in the Walmart parking lot.