Allowance

Do you give yourself an allowance? Spending money? blow money ??(though I really dislike that term) 

I give my kids $10 a week to do with as they please. they are almost 16 and 13.  I considered giving them more and having them budget for things like clothes but I don't think we were ready for that.

I give myself $20 a week.  For whatever I please. It's kind of nice to have that little bit of money should I want to grab something for lunch during the week. I'm at the rink multiple times during the week and that money could go for a Timmy's en route to the rink or something from the concession.

I've saved the leftovers as well. Perhaps I might want to save for a higher priced skin care or hair care product. I have to admit though that it takes forever to save dibbles of allowance leftovers for something bigger.

Sometimes I spend the whole $20. Sometimes I spend next to none.

When I think of the larger, monthly sum, then I get squirmy. $80 a month!! That turns that lil $20 into something bigger and I think 'wow I could be using that elsewhere in the budget'

Still, I think a girl (or guy) needs a little something so that it isn't so tight that you start to hate the whole process. I want to stay healthy in terms of my budget lifespan and debt payoff.  Just my opinion.

A healthy chunk

51%

yup that's right .... 51%

I was paid on Monday. That fun day when there is cash in my account. Then I spend that day and the next two skipping about moving money from this account to that or beginning the bill paying process. It's a bit like an easter bunny hopping about and distributing fat free calorie free eggs.

The day I get paid I remove the money that goes to my debt and to my savings goals.
So out comes the vehicle payment.

Out comes the money for RRSP, EF, XMAS, Summer etc (I am currently done my goals for that for the year and using that for debt.

Out comes the money I put in an account each month to help pay for costs of the boys' activities and fees.

Out comes the extra money I have between now and Christmas as I've maxed out on CPP and EI contributions. That money is also going towards debt.

What's left behind is the money for the jars for the month, the boys' allowance, RESP money that comes out on the 1st, utilities, money set aside for annual fees/expenses (like Costco), gym membership etc.

When I take out all those first things, I am removing 51% of my cheque. I hadn't really thought about it in that way before, but that's what is happening. Now all the things that makes up the 51% are good. Well ok the vehicle debt is bad but I walked into that with my eyes wide open. and I am glad I have a bit of extra money right now to make an extra payment (or two) on the vehicle each month to get it finished faster.

It does really make me realize  how much is going towards that debt and I often wonder what wonderful things I could be doing with that money, did I not have debt.

However getting rid of my van was a good thing. I hear the engine's gone on it now. Could be the way the new owners drove it, but one never knows.

I know when I am done with this debt I will need to be saving for other big things.... washer and dryer and getting very old....the boys' will be going to university and I won't have enough saved.....they will be getting married one day....

It's frightening when you think of all those things.

Free Samples (Canadian)

It's that time again for those who enjoy the free samples from P and G

https://www.pgbrandsampler.ca/en_CA/home.php

Last round I got a sample of new Crest Mouthwash, the Crest White strips and a Febreezy thingie.

enjoy

confession

shhh . just between you and me k? lol

I really really hate writing things down for my weekly spending out of my jars.

I have my budget per week and my overall budget.

I have my categories: groceries, gas, spending, clothing and gifts, entertainment.

I never go over my weekly set amount.

But I really, really really hate writing down each expenditure...ex every grocery purchase.

I was really good at it when I first started the jars in 2008 but the novelty is long gone. I do try every now and again and it is a fantastic way of seeing where the money goes and how frequent you spend it.

for a girl who likes lists and notes and to do checklists, it surprises me

Smackdown! on that vehicle loan

In the far corner, an ominous but compact white SUV, great for hauling kids and hockey and gear and fantastic on snow and ice, weighing  in at $19 721.73, is VEHICLE LOAN.

And in the near corner, with glorious red tresses that don't behave most days, sparkling blue eyes and a distinctive laugh, weighing in at.................too damn much  and ... NYOB :-) is jolie.

Now VEHICLE LOAN has been tag teaming with INTEREST to fight jolie at every opportunity. INTEREST has been biting away at jolie repeatedly, starting with almost $200 a month.  Point for VEHICLE LOAN.

Jolie counter attacked with  a second full jab each month, picking away at INTEREST's stamina bit by bit until it's $60 less  a  month now. That means more hits to VEHICLE LOAN's principal. Point for Jolie.

Feeling a resurgence of energy, spurred on by maxing out her CCP and EI contributions and a whack of snowflakes, jolie hits VEHICLE LOAN with a one, two! extra payments this month, pounding 2 extra months off the end of the loan.

VEHICLE LOAN is now due to be finished in Oct of 2013 instead of June of 2014 if there are no more extra rounds by jolie.

but extra rounds there will be!!

Jolie laughs wickedly, tosses her hair and cape over her shoulder, and climbs out of the ring to go to work.