New Week, New Dollars

So today is payday for the Sheridans. Normally, this means I pick up a check or two (sometimes there is a separate commission check) and deposit them in the bank. When I deposit, I ask for $210 cash back. Corey and I each receive $100.00 and Carrick, our son, puts $5 if the remaining $10 in his pocket. I give him his balance the next week. I can't have a 5-year-old running around with $10, it would be too easily lost, or spent.

Today is an exception, we have family still visiting from the holidays, and Corey finally has a real day off. He has worked almost straight through two weeks because of a move of venue at one of the galleries he manages. He said he was absolutely not setting foot in work today. I told him I would be okay with waiting a day before getting fun dollars to put in my wallet.

Having family in town changes a little bit how we spend our fun dollars. Things that would normally fall under the heading of fun dollars are now fair game, like a trip to get frozen yogurt, or buying a bottle of wine. It's the holidays and we are feeding extra people. We don't do this all the time, so we do have separate "rules for spending".

So, tomorrow, when I deposit our checks, and get cash back, I will ask for my $100 with a $40 in 10's and 5's. This helps me earmark or set aside money for things on my "I want" list. I keep a running list of things that come up that I think, "I want that" and I write it down. Sometimes I save up for a month or two in this reserve style until I can buy what is on my "I want" list. I don't like to spend all of my money all at once, so that's why I save up for bigger things. One of the things I have earmarked for this go-round is a matinee at the movie theater. I want to see a show that neither Carrick nor Corey would want to see, so I am taking myself out, with my fun dollars.

Until next time,

Happy Spending!