It’s simple, but not easy. We call it the “Coin and Calendar meeting.”

Every week, on Saturday morning, Sherri and I sit down and follow an agenda:

• Enter any receipts into the checkbook that we haven’t already entered.

• Balance the checkbook.

• Make corrections to our spending plan. For instance, if we’ve overspent on restaurant we will change our plans for next week, move some money from the grocery line to the restaurant line, or make some other change that will bring the restaurant line item back into the black. If you need a great tool, check out Dave Ramsey’s “Every Dollar” app.

• We review our debt-payment-schedule and ask this question, “Is there any extra money we can use to pay off debt this month?”

• We pay bills. We keep track of our income/expenses on Google Drive “Sheets”. It is a shared document that both Sherri and I can view, and edit.

• We review our calendars together to make sure there are no surprises. The fact that we both use Google Calendar helps a LOT!

• We go through the mail together.

• Our final step is to print out our updated budget and calendar. This allows us to see where we’re at for the week. For instance, I look at the budget and see that we’ve already spent $85 of our $120 for gas and it’s only the second week of the month… I know we need to drive less or reallocate some funds if we’re going to make budget!

A few questions:

• Do you fight during this meeting? Sometimes.
• Do you like this meeting? More than I used to… because we’re getting better and better at it!
• Do you need this meeting to keep your marriage healthy and your home in order? Absolutely.

Having the “Coin and Calendar” meeting regularly keeps financial frustration from being a regular point of contention in our home!

Our friend Beth Nelson writes, “having a budget means I can buy anything I want.” And if YOU are going to enjoy this freedom you have to have a plan AND you HAVE to meet regularly! (Read Beth’s whole post here… it’s worth your time!)

So there’s no excuse for financial pressure in your home! You now have access to:

1. A Coin & Calendar Meeting agenda
2. Link to a helpful budgeting app
3. An inspirational quote and an offer of help from Beth Nelson

Now go take control of your money and stop fighting about money!