I agree that making a budget is the way to go. Try convincing your husband that if he isn’t under his own control (a budget created by the two of you), he is under control of those you are in debt to (since they take a portion of what you bring in each month), and the sooner they are paid off, the sooner you are no longer under their control. Perhaps he doesn’t want to give up the freedom of splurging, but in that case, therein lies the problem. Creating a budget is actually pretty simple. Make a list of all your necessary monthly expenses (and annual expenses divided by 12). As an example, my expenses include: (Rent, Food, Insurance, Cable, Clothing/Household items, Phone Bill, Gifts/Charity, Normal entertainment, Electric Bill, Gasoline, Car Maintenance, Natural Gas Bill, Laundry, and Subscriptions.) Include planned debt payments (divide the entire debt amount by the number of months you want to pay it off in) Subtract the whole expense total from your monthly income. That is the money you and your husband have left to play/save/do whatever with. Save before you splurge. In other words, if you find that you can save $200 a month after all planned monthly expenses, wait an extra month before buying that $350 piece of furniture. That keeps your income on a positive path. Look at your bills each month and compare them to your budget for accuracy. Creating a budget can also alert you as to where you could cut services and where you’re overspending. Don’t buy on impulse. Plan your expenses. (when I say “you” I mean “the both of you”) Good luck! ;)
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