Saturday, July 11, 2009

Allowance?

So I have a question for the married women who read my blog, particularly the stay at home ones, but any wife really. Do you have an "allowance?"

See, G and I occasionally talk about me having one, with a separate account for it. Because since I don't "work" in the traditional sense, I sometimes have a hard time spending money on myself. Those cute shoes I blogged about recently? I pined over them for days and finally it was G who told me he liked them and to get them. He even okayed spending more on some other things, but in the end I just got the shoes.

I think I have a hard time thinking of it as "our" money, since he's the one who earns it. It's unusual for me. I love the show Mad Men, and sometimes I am envious of a time period where this was considered normal, the woman staying in the home, but surely they had an allowance? Maybe part of my freaking out is that I like nice things, I just hate their prices, since I tend to squirrel away money (or at least attempt to).

Today G and I discussed me having an allowance of sorts where I can buy 1 dress or skirt every pay period. Yes, eventually I would have to stop buying dresses (or get a much bigger closet), but it would work for awhile. I love the dresses at Anthropolgie and ModCloth, and it would perhaps allow me to buy some without panicking. (and I could squirrel away my "allowance" and really go to town when the sales hit)

Why dresses and skirts? Because I'm a girly girl, and G loves me in them of course. And really, you can never have too many in my opinion, particularly black, navy and grey dresses. They make a great clean palette. So perhaps I need to begin backlogging my allowance now? Because these beauties call to me like sirens to a sailor.

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(Jacqueline Dress, Anthropologie)

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(Nights at the Lyceum dress, Anthropologie)

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(Behind the Clouds dress, Anthropologie----also available in a turquoise I want as well).



Aren't they just ladylike and divine?

8 comments:

  1. Actually my husband and I both receive an 'allowance'. We do it as a weekly amount that we take out of the bank in cash. That way we have some money that is our "own" and we can spend it on whatever we want without guilt. We started it when we got married and it has worked out really well! I'd love to 'up' the amount but we just can't afford that right now. :)

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  2. Kaycee~ Do you have a blog? I tried clicking on your name and it said the profile wasn't available. Thought I would check.

    And I think it would be great for both of us to have some sort of allowance. The strange thing is that G can fall in love with something and I don't think twice about getting it, just things for me!

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  3. Actually, I don't. I am clickable because I use my Google account to post comments, but I don't have a blog - I just read them. :) I think it should show my email though - doesn't it?

    It's really nice actually for both of us to have an allowance. We use it sometimes to pick up a quick bite or "buy each other" ice cream or something. Makes it feel like your spouse is treating you even though the money is coming from the same place. ;-) I am the same way with my husband, if he really wants something somehow I always end up getting it or telling him he should get it. I just like to see him happy!

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  4. Anxiously awaiting the replies on this one because I'm contemplating going down to one income. I've always worked and I don't know how to live on someone elses generosity. I know that sounds strange but I don't.

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  5. I thought this was very interesting and was keen to see the comments to your post..... I agree with Bonjour Madame that I would find it hard to live on someone's generosity. I know that's a funny way to think of your husband's income! But I suppose I have had my own money for a little while now and have been answerable to no-one. The thought of someone being able to veto a purchase I want, or even question the wisdom of it is a bit of an anathema to me. But I suppose that is the point - in a partership/marriage you and your husbnad want tthe best for each other and if something makes you/them happy, the other person is hardly likely to veto it.

    I do think the allowance sounds very sensible. YOU need to feel you can spend money on yourself. And you should spend money on yourself. You have earnt it - perhaps not in the traditional way of getting a pay cheque with your name on it, but it is part of your family income and you are doing the job you and G agreed you would do and keeping the family running by doing them! - that sounds a very funny way of saying it, but what I really mean is you should not think you don't work or aren't entitled to things just because the pay cheque coming in doesn't have your name on it.

    I also think the idea of being able to save from your own allowance is great. That way you will feel more comfortable with any more expensive purchases, as you know you have saved and budgeted for them.

    It sounds like you have good plans for what to set in motion. Good luck! I will be interested to hear what you decide and how it works out.
    J

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  6. My ideal budget would allow for both my hubby and I to have some personal money to spend as we wish. I'd love to take the money out in cash each month and then spend it (or save it up) with no guilt or discussions. Alas, it's not in our budget, but that's how I see it working best for us in the future.

    To answer you question on my blog abt those poster downloads... I can't find them now either. I went back to print out another one of those bicycle posters and the link wasn't working. I'll hunt around again and let you know if I find it.

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  7. Neither the husband nor I have an allowance but if a purchase if over a certain amount, we ask each other first. He tends to buy nice things for me and I do the same for him because both of us have a hard time biting the bullet and buying ourselves nice things.

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  8. My husband and I both get an allowance. It means we can spend (or save) what we like without feeling guilty. And even though we see the income my husband gets paid as "our" money that he earns at work and I earn at home, i think that without the allowance, it would become very easy to see it as "his" money, especially if I had to ask permission to buy something out of the ordinary.

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