The Oops! Factor

OK, this is the upside of spending tracking--once you get into a rhythm, it's pretty dull, which can be a nice change from the stress of watching the greenbacks fly. but there's a downside. Here's where you run the danger of losing track of little things.

My husband spend $30 at the hardware store the other day, on top of the $14 at the grocery store. But because DH (a.k.a. dear husband) does most of the shopping--and ALL the bill-paying-- I have to rope him in.

I haven't spent a dime in the last few days (it was so cooooold last weekend we didn't go out). But we got an oil delivery and some wine in the last week--not sure what those things cost, and I have to track them down, in addition to any other bills that he might have paid (or gas for the car).

Last: Another biz trip coming up this week. A friend's book party. Another friend's engagement--and I'm taking them out to dinner! These are the unexpected expenses that one often wants to disregard ("How often does that happen?"), but ya gotta.

Why? Because every month there's something. That's why I have a special branch of my ING Direct savings account labeled "necessities", i.e. those out-of-the-blue expenses. I put $50 a week into that account, and then empty it periodically--when we needed a new snow tire, or have to take a newly engaged friend to dinner.