What qualifies as a large purchase at your house?

[Tara Crooks]

At our house we have an agreed upon policy - if it's over $200.00 and it doesn't involve groceries or staples - then it's up for discussion. What constitutes a large purchase at your house?

[MrsPotsy]

My husband and I tend to discuss anything over $20. This does depend on whether or not it was a want or need. If it is a need, we just buy it. Also, I am unable to discuss individual purchases with him while he is deployed, so I do what I need to do. It is easier for me to do that, though, than it is for him. I manage the finances, so he doesn't tend to know what's available at any given moment.

[Vixxxen]

My husband and I have different seperate accounts for what we spend. In one bank, we have a chk acct solely for bills which has a buffer of at least $10. We have an emergency acct for just that...emergencies. We have a retirement acct that gets monthly auto deps. We have another bank with accts that have a chking for food, fun and fuel. Our other acct is our race team acct solely for management of our race cars and business supplies. I have been told by MANY racers that this is the smartest thing to do. When the bills get paid every paycheck FIRST then monies get distributed into the other accts. Both my husband and I know exactly TO THE PENNY whats in the accts. If we want to spend on the race car and the budget gets low...WE DONT SPEND until there's more money. But all house bills are paid and all cars have fuel in them until the next pay period without worries. All expenses, large OR small, get diescussed and every dollar has a name (thank you Dave Ramsey!)

[militaryspouse101]

We talk about things that are a couple $100 or more. I do all the shopping, bill paying, etc. The first time my husband went grocery shopping after we got married was when I had our first daughter and my dad went with him. He was shocked. Likewise, when we became "rental owners" and I did a full budget analysis...he got an eye full as to the cost of food, gas, insurance, etc. It can be daunting but worth it. Increasing your savings buffer is necessary to protect yourselves for the unforseen and can also save you the time of discussing the multitude of small purchases.

[The Menchions]

When my Husband deployed I started handleing all of the household finances for the first time since we married. I pay all the bills first and anything we really NEED I get. We just made our first large purchase together last week. In my book if we have the extra cash and it's under $300 we don't need to discuss it.

[The Menchions]

I've found the more accounts you have the better. We have one for bills, personal accounts with play money spend however we please. As for saveing..... Well, we're working on it. Everyone needs an emergency fund.

[ysette9]

When we first got married we agreed on something pretty much along the lines of what you have said, except we put the limit at $100 instead of $200. Four+ years on that has definitely morphed into a more lax rule. Generally speaking though we are each aware of what the other does. If we go to clothes stores, we know that the other is going to spend money, even if we don't clear the exact amount at the register by the other before purchasing.

We also each have a "play money" account that we can spend on whatever, no questions asked, no need to check in with the other partner. Those accounts don't get used too much, but it is nice for the occasional whimsical splurge or for purchasing gifts for the other person.

[ysette9]

Also: this is odd, but I tried to post my reply and the USSA website wouldn't let me post a phrase with the word that rhymes with "hopping", starts with an "s", and means "purchasing".  Strange sensors/filters they are using...

[TaraCrooksUSAA]

That's hilarious! I'll check with them to see if that can be fixed. Well, I guess we cannot talk about sh opping so that means we can just save! LOL! :)