My DH and I both get $200 each month for spending money. For me it covers tithe/offering/clothes/computer/phone, etc. For him it covers phone/computer/clothes/electronics/boat/tv/items he just wants to buy to resell/his soda habit, etc.
As part of this negotiation, it was agreed that whatever "funny money" (his term for my snowflakes) I bring in are to be added to my spending money. If he ever actually sells anything he bought with his spending money, he also gets to keep it.
So .. $160 of my SM goes to tithe/offering. That leaves me with $40/month to decide what to do with it.
I have a lot of categories I put the money into - phone replacement, computer replacement, Entertainment/Eating Out (when done by ourselves, otherwise it goes under date night), Nails, Clothing, Phone farm, Home Gym, and Gifts.
I've been reading CCF and MEC posts about their big savings goals and have been doing some thinking.
I would really like to have more money being socked away for retirement. Currently I have it where we set aside the same amount for each of us - mine in a work IRA, and DH's in a yet to be opened IRA.
What we're putting in to each is not even enough to 1/2 fully fund. (esp for DH since he is 50 and is eligible for catch up.)
The only way we'd be able to fully fund two IRA's would be to get rid of the cats and two vehicles. Probably the money we currently set aside/spend for those numerous categories would do it. (Car Maintenance, Car taxes/registration, Car replacement, Vet fund, Food for cats, Food/medical for non-cats, fund for catifying living room ....)
That's not going to happen, so on to more realistic ideas. 
So ... since it can't really be done with our shared budget, and I'm probably more likely to need lots of money for retirement (for a number of reasons) .. I've decided to set one major saving goal to be fully funding my ROTH.
This will be done with my "funny money."
The $40 will go to phone (10)/computer(10)/clothing(10)/(5)gifts/(5)Entertainment.
The funny money will be 50 / 50. 50% goes to the ROTH goal, 50% goes to other categories.
I'm also adding a category - Housekeeper. I'd like to hire someone 3 or 4 x a year to come in and do the deep cleaning stuff like windows, oven, fridge ...
If I somehow manage to fully fund the ROTH, then the 50% will be put aside for an investing fund. When that gets to $3k I'll put it into a Vanguard index fund.
Besides my current "funny money" schemes, I am debating about doing online tutoring via VIPkid. 10 hours a week could net $800/month+ pre-tax. 30% would be set aside for taxes. 35% to the family budget, and 35% for my saving goals.
Before I could do that though, I feel like I need to get a good cleaning/maintenance system established. So when I suddenly have ten hours less a week to do whatever, the house doesn't fall apart.
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I've been looking at/reading about the SHE system (Sidetracked Home Executive.) I like some of their ideas, but am going to adapt them a bit.
I plan on doing a point system. Each job is worth so many points. Both DH and I need to complete a minimum amount of points each week. However, if we make more than the minimum, the person with the most points gets to decide whether we eat a homemade meal (on their night) or go out to eat at their choice of restaurant. Plus another benefit which would motivate my DH.
Small jobs are ones that take 15 minutes or less - worth 1 point. Medium jobs take 30 minutes or less and are worth 2 points. Large jobs are ones that take an hour or less and are worth 3 points. X-Large jobs are ones that take two+ hours and are worth 4 points.
A small job would be wiping the counters in the upstairs kitchen and bathroom. Or sweeping the upstairs. Or 15 minutes of general pickup and put away.
A medium job would be trimming the bushes. Or doing something like changing the car oil. Or mopping the upstairs. Or 30 minutes of decluttering an area. Or updating the budget.
A large job might be washing a car - inside/out. Cleaning 4 litterboxes (dump and rinse.) Or an hour of decluttering. Or going to a physical therapy appointment.
An extra-large job would be mowing, or shoveling snow, or cleaning the gutters, or shampooing the carpets, or two hours of decluttering.
Each type of job will go on a color coded index card. The cards will be kept in a file box. It will be divided into sections. One for DH only tasks (divided into the 4 categories). One for me only tasks divided into the 4 categories). One for Anyone tasks divided into the 4 categories). And then a completed section where the cards that were finished go (one for each of us.)
On each card will be a description of the task, its point value and a space to pencil the date completed and by whom. There also will be a note on it saying how often it should be done (like gutter cleaning, 2 x a year?)
On Sunday night we can each pick out which cards we think we will do for the coming week.
We both will also have basic routine cards - i.e.
the least to do on a daily basis. For example - In shared living spaces, pick up our own stuff - don't leave things on the counter/floor/door that don't belong there. 10 minutes of general pickup. DH - Scoop one litterbox in the basement. Me - Scoop all the litterboxes upstairs. Dishes go in the kitchen. Trash goes in a trash can. etc.
If we work together on a job ( like we both spend an hour working on the boxes in the basement) we both get the points for the job.
I still have to present this to DH ... so we'll see if this gets past the thinking/planning stage. I'm hoping the allure of eating out plus the other will be enough ...
Saving Goals and Thinking About Housework
June 3rd, 2017 at 08:11 pm
June 3rd, 2017 at 08:40 pm 1496522410
And more to retirement is never a bad thing.
June 3rd, 2017 at 08:49 pm 1496522963
June 3rd, 2017 at 11:11 pm 1496531476
June 4th, 2017 at 12:23 am 1496535819
June 4th, 2017 at 12:37 am 1496536664
June 4th, 2017 at 06:24 am 1496557453
June 4th, 2017 at 01:09 pm 1496581763
June 4th, 2017 at 01:13 pm 1496581988
June 4th, 2017 at 01:29 pm 1496582995
In the laundry room there is clutter everywhere. So before it can be cleaned, the clutter needs to go.
Carol - I have tried Fly Lady before ... The emails were overwhelming to me. I do still try to keep the kitchen sink shiny before I go to bed.
June 4th, 2017 at 07:03 pm 1496603019
I don't use a cleaning plan and when I was working I didn't. I tried to keep a bit of a schedule, but didn't make it so tough I couldn't handle it. Different jobs like decluttering were when I had the time and probably should have been done before that, but I did the best I could. I have a drawer I need to tackle and I'm already dreading it, but that is my goal for today.
June 5th, 2017 at 08:03 am 1496649825
June 5th, 2017 at 11:57 am 1496663840
June 6th, 2017 at 01:58 am 1496714290
I know what to do - it's actually doing it that's my problem.
VS - I'm glad you got something from my ramblings.