Kerry,

It was a warm spring morning, the sun was shining, and the mountains were coming to life. I (Scott) sprang out of bed with one thing on my mind: This is the weekend I’m going to conquer a Fourteener! (That’s what folks in Colorado call a mountain over 14,000 feet.) Naturally, I needed some new equipment. I headed off to REI with visions of a new pack, boots, and other cool gear.

I never should have left the house without Bethany.

After an hour-long shopping spree, I drove home with $300 worth of equipment. Since Bethany and I have a standing agreement to check in with each other before purchasing anything over $100, I knew I’d blown it. Now I had to be accountable for my impulsive acquisitions.

After showing Bethany my new equipment, I confessed that I broke our $100 rule and awaited my “punishment.” Bethany, who is gracious about these things, looked over my purchases and proposed a solution - one that did involve accountability. How about if I kept $200 worth of gear and returned the rest? Fair enough. Minutes later, I was in the car and headed back to REI. An argument was diverted and no voices were raised, because we made a quick decision and exercised mutual accountability.

Quick Cents Application Points:

1. If you haven’t established a purchasing limit with your spouse, what is a reasonable amount?
2. How has having a purchasing limit helped your relationship?
3. For more information on budgeting, see this Seeds of Growth article. 183 KB