My Official Title: Financial Adviser

Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 03:56

In the past, Matthew has tried to "take over the finances" for me.  I was very stressed, and my mind was cloudy.  Does that make any sense to any of you??  I couldn't seem to concentrate on the housework, or the finances, and it was definately showing!!  I was nervous about him taking over the bank accounts because I knew they were NOT balanced correctlly.  LOL  So I balanced them for him, and now they are all in order and each balanced down to the penny.  (If you knew how much I hated accounting and numbers in general in highschool, this would completely amaze you! LOL)   I also went over our monthly budget and showed him where we were doing really good and other places we needed to do better on saving money, slashing utilities, etc.  Do you know how long he ended up "taking over the finances"???  A week and a half.  LMSO  He wanted to carry both check books and wanted me to start asking him for every dime I spent.  So I did.  I would tell him the night before, I need a check for the pharmacy for my meds, and another check for my hair cut.  Oh, and on Wednesday, I need to pay the utility bill as well.  Then a day or two later, can I have a check to go get stamps, and etc. etc.  After a few days of this, he tossed both check books back at me!  LOL  

Since then, I realized I do have the talent needed to take care of the home finances, and balancing the checkbooks.  I have picked up a few other talents like saving at the grocery store, pantry and freezer stocking and of course menu planner since being here at HSB that has also made me the better candidate fro saving this family money!  Hubby and I now sit down almost  once a week and talk about finances.  He is given a gas allowance for his car since he drives alot more than I do (back and forth to work every day),  and he has the debit card in case I call and ask him to pick something up on the way home for work, which is most likely for milk most times. 

It is funny, that I now have this title, because Matthew comes to me now when he wants something and doesn't ask his wife, he asks the financial adviser.  LOL  He will say, I need to talk to the financial adviser, and I will say, let me go get her, and then say, ok, what can I do for you (as if I am a split personality or something. LOL)  He will say, can I take $100 out of the household budget to buy this new tool I need, and then pay you back when I get my paycheck next week??  And I will give him the appropriate answer.  And he can't get mad at me for saying no either, because his wife didn't say no, the financial adviser did.  Not long ago, I said, lets go out and eat chinese!!!!  Matthew said ok, but what does the financial adviser say about it???  I said, well, I don't like talking to her.  She is a battle axe!!!  He laughs and says what did she say about it??? I then reply, she said NO!  Maybe next paycheck!  LMSO

Amazingly, this one little simple change in our finances with the family has worked wonders for not only our finances, but for hubby and I as well.  We used to argue a bit about the condition of our finances (because we both wanted to spend money, and neither of us wanted to say no to the other person) and now we are very responsible for not overspending and such, since the financial adviser started working here.  LOL  

Today, the financial adviser balanced the checkbooks and then checked them online as well, and we are balanced to the penny yet again.  All bills are paid, and the pantry is stocked well.  Finances are tight now, as I know they are with many others out there.  We don't eat out, we don't buy or rent movies, we don't buy new articles of anything before we look at the Thrift Shop and then only if it is ABSOLUTELY needed. 

You see, I was a spoiled brat growing up (my friend momma25js will attest to that.  She has known me for well over 20 years now), and if I wanted a new pair of pink Nike high tops, mom and dad bought them for me.  (By the way, the explanation here is that Nike hightops were actually popular way back then, ok???  Don't judge me because I wore pink ones either.  LOL I also had an exact duplicate pair, except they were seafoam green in color.  And the shoelaces matched the colors of those shoes!  LOL  Can you imagine???)  When I started driving at 16, I was given my mom's car and she went to buy a new one.  When I totaled it within a month of getting my lisence, I probably should have been grounded, but instead they bought me a two seater red sports car.  When I wrecked it, they fixed it, and then evenutally traded it in for a brand new 4x4 pick up with extended cab!  I picked it out personally.    So, I have in the past few years of marriage, learned what the difference between wanting something (pink Nike high tops), and actually needing something (food on the table, toliet paper in the bathroom. LOL)