# My allowance



## RoadRash (Sep 29, 2010)

When the better half and I set up household budget we each get $20 a week coffee, lunch out candy bars newspaper etc. I used to hide mine in wallet and buy mororcycle parts when I had enough saved, last week I had a WHAT IF The SHTF what would cash do in my wallet, start a fire is about all, 
So I went to the dollar store and picked up things I would not normally put into my preps, 3 jars of vasoline, 4 bags of hard candy, 5 bottles of peroxide, 2 extra 1st aid kits, and headphones for radio in BOB.
If I use $20.00 a week for the next couple of months rather than buying crap i will increase our comfort level in a SHTF.


----------



## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

RoadRash said:


> When the better half and I set up household budget we each get $20 a week coffee, lunch out candy bars newspaper etc. I used to hide mine in wallet and buy mororcycle parts when I had enough saved, last week I had a WHAT IF The SHTF what would cash do in my wallet, start a fire is about all,
> So I went to the dollar store and picked up things I would not normally put into my preps, 3 jars of vasoline, 4 bags of hard candy, 5 bottles of peroxide, 2 extra 1st aid kits, and headphones for radio in BOB.
> If I use $20.00 a week for the next couple of months rather than buying crap i will increase our comfort level in a SHTF.


Do you mean Dollar General?

http://dollargeneral.com/home/

Don't forget, they always have a 5.00 off coupon for Saturdays and sometimes Fridays. Print off from computer or go buy, get something small and it will print off on your receipt.

The other week, they had those huge cans of tomatoes 10 for 10.00.

I also get their big bottles of peroxide for 1.00!


----------



## RoadRash (Sep 29, 2010)

I am Canadian and live in CAnada we dont usually get the same bargains as you lucky folks south of us do....pity
Thanks for the heads up though.....


----------



## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

RoadRash said:


> I am Canadian and live in CAnada we dont usually get the same bargains as you lucky folks south of us do....pity
> Thanks for the heads up though.....


:eyebulge: looks like dollar tree is $1.25 tree in Canada :eyebulge:

http://www.dollartreecanada.com/


----------



## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Shoot!

Got friends who live in Canada, y'all do get the shaft a lot.


----------



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Guess I am kinda lucky. My budget is around 800.00 a month for preps and extras


----------



## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*A little*



RoadRash said:


> When the better half and I set up household budget we each get $20 a week coffee, lunch out candy bars newspaper etc. I used to hide mine in wallet and buy mororcycle parts when I had enough saved, last week I had a WHAT IF The SHTF what would cash do in my wallet, start a fire is about all,
> So I went to the dollar store and picked up things I would not normally put into my preps, 3 jars of vasoline, 4 bags of hard candy, 5 bottles of peroxide, 2 extra 1st aid kits, and headphones for radio in BOB.
> If I use $20.00 a week for the next couple of months rather than buying crap i will increase our comfort level in a SHTF.


I have to say, the three jars of Vasoline, I hope they are for the road rash ?


----------



## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

ComputerGuy said:


> Guess I am kinda lucky. My budget is around 800.00 a month for preps and extras


LUCKY???? You win the lottery? :eyebulge:

My best has been about $250 a month during the last nearly 40 years of stocking, never that much!!  At this point about $100-$150 a month is my best. Course I only do food now mostly, got most everything else...

Jimmy


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

> Guess I am kinda lucky. My budget is around 800.00 a month for preps and extras


So what you are saying is that you are single, have no kids, live in a small apartment and drive Mom's old car?


----------



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Sentry18 said:


> So what you are saying is that you are single, have no kids, live in a small apartment and drive Mom's old car?


Actually no. My wife and I are raising 2 grandkids too. I work in the computer field, plus that and my military retirement. It affords the wife not having to work and allows for preps and stuff. Also a big player, no mortgage. The only bills are electricity which we have gotten down to 150 a month and water

Of course we do a lot of saving etc. Most of the prep money, about 50% goes into silver


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I was just messing with you. The Mrs. and I live clean as well and save for what we want. No credit cards, car loans, etc. I work hard for my money and am not going to share it with the bank. Just the same RoadRash's allowance is twice what mine is. But I also make money on the side doing security gigs and bodyguard work. That's where my prep money comes from.


----------



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Sentry18 said:


> I was just messing with you. The Mrs. and I live clean as well and save for what we want. No credit cards, car loans, etc. I work hard for my money and am not going to share it with the bank. Just the same RoadRash's allowance is twice what mine is. But I also make money on the side doing security gigs and bodyguard work. That's where my prep money comes from.


Exactly. Funny, my bank was trying to get me to gat one of their credit cards. I told her I didn't need one based on I pay for everything with cash.

She got nosey so I had to tell her about the trust, etc and how we have essentially our own bank. Plus we live like misers. LOL. Our newest car is 1999 I think.


----------



## RoadRash (Sep 29, 2010)

We spend money on preps, paying down debt,vasoline chapped lips, we have a 18mth old grandson diaper rash .... put a bit too much money in spring into BOL put that was on Home depot 18 month do not pay 
Who woulda thought ya gets to working making half decent money and all ya get is $20 a week. Holy smokes come to think of it I had more dissposable income as a teenager..... 
Hey Sentry I am awlful sensitive you hurt me feelings I have been sitting in corner crying for last 30 minutes 
I usually get everything second hand or last years model.....


----------



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

RoadRash said:


> We spend money on preps, paying down debt,vasoline chapped lips, we have a 18mth old grandson diaper rash .... put a bit too much money in spring into BOL put that was on Home depot 18 month do not pay
> Who woulda thought ya gets to working making half decent money and all ya get is $20 a week. Holy smokes come to think of it I had more dissposable income as a teenager.....
> Hey Sentry I am awlful sensitive you hurt me feelings I have been sitting in corner crying for last 30 minutes
> I usually get everything second hand or last years model.....


I apologize for hijacking this thread


----------



## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

When I first started this spring I went to Dollar Tree to get my stuff, still get stuff there as well.


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

> Hey Sentry I am awlful sensitive you hurt me feelings I have been sitting in corner crying for last 30 minutes


Come here buddy and we'll hug it out.


----------



## RoadRash (Sep 29, 2010)

Sentry18 said:


> Come here buddy and we'll hug it out.


LMAO Thats what the vasoline is for :eyebulge: LMFHAO
Sorry couldnt resit


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

What happens on prepared society stays on prepared society.  :sssh:  :sssh:


----------



## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Funny seeing this thread. I just had a talk with the DH about monies. We have always had seperate accounts. I pay for all preps and most all the bills. He blows a lot of money on himself. Doesn't have a clue about budgeting. Soooo, I proposed we have a joint account and I do all the bill paying and we do the allowance thing. Its going to really suck for him because he is so use to blowing it all and going online to buy shoes and work out crap. I'm guess I will be the mean lady for a while. : ( oh well.


----------



## kyhoti (Nov 16, 2008)

"Its going to really suck for him because he is so use to blowing it all and going online to buy shoes and work out crap. I'm guess I will be the mean lady for a while."

I turned over the finances to the missus years ago, as she has the head for it. Now I scrimp and save for my "guy stuff" like ammo and tools. It makes me way more conscious of waste when I compare a $5 coffee to a box of ammo. Guess which one I buy nowadays?


----------



## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

Roadrash, We live in Oregon, close to the Washington state border along the Columbia River, and we don't get the great deals in stores as our southern fellow citizens do either. They have stores down there, apparently, that have some pretty awesome deals and loose coupon policies. Our stores here barely accept the coupons, scrutinize them (sometimes trying to say its not for what we got it for when it is) and do not allow, for the most part, home printed coupons from legit sites. Rare double coupons, but those are just from the two highest priced stores around, Albertsons and Safeway, both are like overpriced 7-11's when it comes to pricing.

I have never figured out why they get all the dang good deals and we're screwed up north? Anyone have any ideas about that? Don't say it's incomes because up here, not many people are doing that well at all.


----------



## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I have been on the cash allowance system for years. Everything except for monthly household bills comes out of it. Food, clothing, entertainment, gas… is all paid out of the allowance fund. It has been great for keeping a budget.


----------



## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Sentry18 said:


> So what you are saying is that you are single, have no kids, live in a small apartment and drive Mom's old car?


LOL! Before *I* got married, I *WAS* single, no kids, lived in a small well-insulated apartment (360 sq feet) built into a large metal shop (30 by 60) and my power bill was about $50 a month, same with water. I effectively had about $1500-$2000 free cash each month, after all bills paid.

Drove a 1993 Ford Ranger. Still do, over 200K miles on it. Paid cash for it in 1997. Very cheap and reliable vehicle to own.

Then I got married..................


----------



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

We did have a ton of disposable income, we traveled quite a bit but then we got custody of the grandkids. Now with Cub Scouts, daisy scouts, school, homework, we are essentially parents again. 

There are times that the wife has to reel me in, and remind me that we have bills again, so that my spending has to deminish, but preps do not. They are our life! Food and the security necessities are paramount, and everyone knows it and accepts it.

One nice thing is I am teaching the grandson to shoot. I got a very nice pellet gun, and he has become an excellent shot, especially for being 9 years old. The other night he made me proud when he told me that it is an important safety rule to remember your backstop!


----------



## northfarmer (Oct 18, 2012)

Where I'm from,no couple makes under 100g a year,and there are hundreds of great jobs available.

The good men make 300-1000 a day.

I simply cannot relate to a 20 dollar a week "allowance".


----------



## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

northfarmer said:


> Where I'm from,no couple makes under 100g a year,and there are hundreds of great jobs available.
> 
> The good men make 300-1000 a day.
> 
> I simply cannot relate to a 20 dollar a week "allowance".


People do with what they have... I am the opposite, I pull in $1000 a day sitting on my butt, but that is me... However, spending 4k+ in last 3-4 months, I bet I am still behind half on the board in regards to skills and first hand knowledge... A lot to learn for sure...


----------



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

invision said:


> People do with what they have... I am the opposite, I pull in $1000 a day sitting on my butt, but that is me... However, spending 4k+ in last 3-4 months, I bet I am still behind half on the board in regards to skills and first hand knowledge... A lot to learn for sure...


Same here. Just keep the eye on the prize and keep pressin!


----------



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

> I simply cannot relate to a 20 dollar a week "allowance".


My wife and I have a good income for our area and definitely live below our means. We do not limit ourselves because we have to, we limit ourselves because we enjoy living debt free, we intend to ensure our children are educated AND because we intend to retire early and VERY comfortably. I put 10% of my income into my state law enforcement pension with 10% matching funds from the state, I then put another 10% into our retirement fund. The Mrs. also puts in 10% with 6% matching (+ profit sharing) into her retirement plus 10% in our retirement fund. Then we each put 10% into long term savings / investment and 10% goes to the church (that actually happens first FYI). So before we touch a single penny we are down to 60% of our earned income. And we are still living a very blessed life.


----------



## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

pixieduster said:


> Funny seeing this thread. I just had a talk with the DH about monies. We have always had seperate accounts. I pay for all preps and most all the bills. He blows a lot of money on himself. Doesn't have a clue about budgeting. Soooo, I proposed we have a joint account and I do all the bill paying and we do the allowance thing. Its going to really suck for him because he is so use to blowing it all and going online to buy shoes and work out crap. I'm guess I will be the mean lady for a while. : ( oh well.


I just got in trouble too for dipping a bit into the savings, for preps. other than a small soda habit and my ciggs I really spend no money on me, my ME spending is all on preps. She is on board with the prepping but not really as convinced as I am that it may be coming to a head. I"m trying to tell her Im not at all certain that the bank is the best place to have much money invested she reminds me (like I don't remember) that we have to move in a year and a half or so I am kinda counting on my disability claims going through by them and they have been delayed so long (2yrs and counting) that I'll have a pretty good down payment on whatever we decide on. But I guess she is the real pessimist in that she says they may not pay it.Guess she's right. She also doesn't know I pretty well have the property lined up and will get it for survey cost (family farm) guess she will if I ever get her off face book and on here  My prep budget has recently increased to about 200 a month before it was less than 50 the increase came when she started getting on board so I get more done and she still gets a goodly bunch of stuff too now. I'ts coming right along. Beats the old days with a spouse doing everything to oppose it. At this point I figure we are good for a year or at least long enough that if it happened about this time of year I coulde easily get through to a harvest. If the harvest was poor I might be in trouble so still working on it to get that exta safety net.


----------



## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

Allowance

When I was a kid I didn't have an allowance. I had to work for the neighbors on their yard or for the guy who owned the farm next to us.

You could pick up five pop bottles and return them to the grocer for two cents apeice and you had enough to go to the show and see a Saturday matinee double feature cowboy movie.

If that didn't work me and my ten year old buddy would go hang out in the local bootleger's front yard and ask people questions until he bribed us to leave, by giving us fifty cents to go to the show and never come back.

I only knew two kids that got an allowance. I tried asking my dad if I could get an allowance and he allowed me to wash his car and mow his yard for twenty five cents a week.


----------



## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

BillM, I am last of six kids, allowance was way out of the question. Summers were spent picking berries in local farmers fields for money, and weekends babysitting my parents VFW friends little kids..

I am glad it was like this, it makes us more creative and hardworking when we have to scrape by and figure things out. This is the point I believe will determine who makes it in a SHTF scenario and who will not. Those who have always had it all as kids and then as adults who live beyond their means, I feel will really struggle with the loss of having it all at their fingertips.


----------



## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

HoppeEL4 said:


> This is the point I believe will determine who makes it in a SHTF scenario and who will not.
> 
> Those who have always had it all as kids and then as adults who live beyond their means, I feel will really struggle with the loss of having it all at their fingertips.


Correct! The real problem lies with how they handle their frustrations that are a result of "the loss".

Some will simply "cave in" and will be in a "state of resignation", and others will rebel and lash out violently against others for reasons that defy logic. Both types are dangerous, but for different reasons.


----------



## machinist (Jul 4, 2012)

*Five bucks for a coffee ???*

vract: 

For $5 I can get a jar of cheap instant and drink coffee for a month. Yeah, I'm a cheapskate. Not going to reform, either. I'm so tight that I squeak when I walk.  But maybe that is the arthritis...

We really do buy a lot of cheap stuff. Shop at Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, All our clothing is used, except underwear and sox. I can pay 5 bucks for a ball cap at a retail store, or 50 cents for it at Goodwill. My workshop was furnished from the junkyard, including the metal siding on the building and half the steel stock in the rack. Built the steel rack from junk, along with the wood stove that heats the shop, a 50 ton press, a 42" x 16 ga. power sheet metal roll, all the machine stands, a sandblast cabinet, and an English Wheel. For about 15 cents a pound...

I'm wearing some nice dress shoes (Dockers brand) that I paid 2 bucks for at Goodwill, and lit my smoke with a Zippo that I got for nothing at the junkyard in a bucket of stuff. I don't buy lighter fluid, I use Coleman fuel, and pick up dead Bic lighters to salvage the flints.

My allowance is whatever is in the bank account, but it is a JOINT account with my wife and has been for 46 years. She is probably tighter than I am. She washes out plastic bags and re-uses them, mends sox, and bakes all our bread.

Together, we spend most of our money on future needs, but have done so long enough that we don't have to spend much at all.

At this time, we are retired and watch for deals on whatever we think might be useful to us, but we don't "shop" in the conventional sense of the word. We only look for the best deals on what may need to be replenished.

I have some relatives that make about 4X what our income is, but can't afford to buy any extras, because they opted for the big house, new cars, and all the gizmos. You know the sort--got a 6 bedroom house and only 4 rooms furnished because they can't afford more furniture, and they are underwater on the mortgage. Not my idea of how to do it.


----------



## HoppeEL4 (Dec 29, 2010)

Ah! Machinist, I wash out the plastic bags too (Ziploc kind) and I also reuse my FoodSaver ones that have had non-meat stuff in them. Carefully cut top, empty, wash if needed, dry, re-use.

I LOVE thrift stores for the sole reason that there is little need to always buy brand new. However, I find that Goodwill charges as much for T-shirts as does the other stores most of the time, in that case, you'd might as well buy new (lots of time T-shirts they put out have stains, then want 6.99 for it...really?). Sometimes we can find plenty of nice t-shirts for my husband to work in at Salvation Army and their prices are better, more realistic for the fact that it is used.

Believe it or not, our 15 year old daughter is a thrift store junkie...she loves going, hates malls and loves getting more for the dollar, makes her own fashion statements. Shoes with her, unfortunately, are hard to find, she has her dad extra wide feet, we have to go to a womans store that specializes in plus sizes and their shoes are always wider (it's the most fashionable option in stores for her feet, typical wide shoe stores are pretty ugly in selection, poor girl).

LincTex...lord so true. I am wondering how all those who have always been able to buy all they needed will do as soon as the supply lines are not in commission? I am afraid it is going to get ugly.


----------



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

I never had an allowance growing up. Then again, I never had a need unfulfilled. My Dad ensured I was clothed, fed, and given things so that I never needed. I worked for it though! If I wanted something, I mowed lawns, collected pop bottles, did other chores for people. My first job I ever had was at 14. I can honestly say, I have never gone 1 week without a job or work. I can also say, I can count the numbers of jobs on one hand. I have been blessed with a "can do" attitude, and a willingness to work. 

Now I have been blessed with a wonderful wife , who supports me because she knows that I am right and what I am doing is for her, and our family. I am blessed with a great job, career, family, and what more does one need when headed into uncertain times.


----------



## RoadRash (Sep 29, 2010)

Bought lotto max ticket this week with my allowance won 20 n a free ticket I'm up a ticket guess I'm meant to buy another jug of kerosene


----------



## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

RoadRash said:


> I am Canadian and live in Canada we dont usually get the same bargains as you lucky folks south of us do....pity
> Thanks for the heads up though.....


Sometimes it takes a foreigner to point out the upside of being an American err US Citizen, almost forgot you all are technically Americans. Good plan by the way damn shame you have to tap into the motorcycle parts fund though


----------

