Financials and $$$

If you have read Zelda's blog today, you will know that we are dealing with the financial aspect of marriage.

We talked about it before hand, months ago.
But we didn't work out all the details...

And the Devil is in the....

I am what J calls "cheep" and I call "frugal". (I have always thought of J as cheep, since he used to never cover any of my meals, and always looked for a sale. In college I never thought twice about buying my buddy lunch, and he would pick up the next tab. J only recently has adopted this attitude. Red has been good for him)
J also has large credit card debt, and the Bunny Man does not.

J gets out and travels more. Historically, I have not...

So...

Zelda has been helping me learn to spend. She likes Date night, and so do I.
She likes to rent movies and buy clothes, and shoes. I like to eat out.
She insists on Fresh Food.
I cannot say that this has been a bunny priority.

When I am with Zelda, I want to do things with her and for her. I want to buy her the world.

And I have...
Not taking into account that we now have some larger regular bills, ie. Big Fancy Cell Phones. Larger grocery bills.

It has also made me aware of my lack of disciple when it comes to the card...
Last fall I adopted a habit of the Rich. Pay yourself First.
30% of my paycheck went into savings.
I also made my lunch and paid myself for each empty brown bag I brought back home. This too when into savings.

This year I have struggled to make that lunch. And when I have, it has many times gone uneaten. I have found I enjoy going out to eat with my coworkers. I am disappointed at how easily I am swayed when they ask, "Did you bring lunch?".
"Yes, but..."

A number of years ago, I ran the numbers and found I was spending $1,000.00 a year just on lunch at $5-10 a day...
Now lunches are $8-12...

This weekend only high lighted an existing problem, not a new one in the realm of expenses.

I still bought Opera tickets this season. (Two seats same section...)
I still bought Aggie Football Tickets. (Zelda's not *gasp* an Aggie Fan)
I ordered a HoneyMoon package to Colorado for New Years.
And we are buying Art work when we travel...

The spending will have to stop for a while.
Maybe we use only our check cards, which will limit spending.
And I picked up a Monopoly game yesterday to make use of the paper money to see where everything is going each month...

We will work this out.
We will have to be more creative with date night, join Costco, and rethink our priorities...