Revelation

B. gets paid every Friday. He cashes his check at the store and our 'new' approach is that he decides how much will go into savings. We I decided this was the best method after ending up in arguments with him when the 'formula' was applied. He keeps ~$50 per week plus he pays for his own lunches (at school). He is FINALLY getting the concept that from that $50, he is expected to 'save' for things he wants. The money that he puts into savings each week is NOT considered part of his 'discretionary' money - it is for college, and (technically) to offset the car expenses which we foot the bill for. Though I haven't taken any of it for gas money yet, and don't plan to.

Yesterday, he announced 'I'm going to start packing my lunch - making myself a sandwich, wrapped in foil, grab a Gatorade from the garage and that will save me $3 per day!'. He said it like it was the most brilliant idea on the planet - and yet, when I suggested it some time ago, to save money, you would have thought I had just proposed pulling off his fingernails one by one, without anesthetic. Isn't it amazing how when it's HIS money, he suddenly decides that being more frugal is a wise idea? I think it's a great idea and agreed to always have bread, lunch meat, Gatorade and chips available. Which isn't hard since we always do - two teen boys in the house requires 'staples' and those things are on my weekly Costco list. Whether he actually ends up motivated enough to pack his lunch is another matter entirely - and I won't be bringing it up. 'Cuz it's HIS money he's spending so I don't care one way or the other!

I love that he has his own money. He went to the mall to buy a birthday gift for a friend - paid for it himself. Had been playing jazz at the Bean Festival before that and was hungry, so grabbed a sandwich - paid for it himself. Gone are the days when he was asking for money constantly. He now has his own. It's great!

AND, he gives me the savings $$ in cash, which I put in our cash drawer. Then I go online (right away, so I won't forget) and transfer the amount he gave me from our checking account into his savings account. It's great - I haven't had to get cash at the bank in weeks!

H. had his first round of reffing yesterday and he will get a check later this week. He's keeping 1/2 and giving us the other half - to finish paying off his debt for the school books and then to pay us back for his job equipment and training. The class was $45 (we'll probably pay that for him) then he needed a special shirt, shoes, stop watch, flags, etc. And $$ for lunch since he was there all day. Once he's caught up with that stuff, and assuming he gets weekend work all season, he'll have his own money, too. At least during soccer season. He's been without cash for so long, he can't remember what it's like. He'll catch up, soon, though...

We had a quiet weekend. Had lists of things to do - mainly outside. But it was hotter than blazes this weekend so we all stayed inside pretty much. Sadly, I've been so busy the past few days (and lazy this weekend) that I didn't water my potted plants and I think I lost a couple. Some will come back. I'll give them extra TLC this week and see how they do. We have so much pruning and weeding, etc. to do - and I still haven't ordered the raised beds. The places we cleared for them are now grass/weed infested so I need to do some work out there before ordering.

I'm hoping to take a long weekend next week - Friday, Monday and Tuesday off, I hope. Just to piddle around the house and try to get stuff done. I hope the weather cooperates. We could use a cooling off period.