Wife Spends Too Much Money on Clothes and Other Random Things

Oct. 22, 2105

Dear Cathy:

My wife spends too much money on clothes, shoes, purses and other random things.  We have two pre-teens and she doesn’t work but yet she wants to spend my entire paycheck on these items.  Will putting her on an allowance work?  Putting Wife On An Allowance, Florida

Dear Putting Wife On An Allowance:

Many women spend entirely too much money on clothes, shoes, purses, and other frivolous things that they don’t really need.  Many do this in order to feel good about themselves.  They never invest in good food or good supplements, which is really what they need to feel good about themselves in the first place.

So this is a common problem today, especially in many marriages.  Since you are in charge of the funds in your home, yes putting her on an allowance can probably work, however, she has to be on board with this because “Remember the phase, “Happy Wife, Happy Life?”

When couples are struggling financially, they need to figure out how to gain more funds in their household and one of the sure-fire ways to do this is cutting down on spending by getting on a budget. 

Try to approach her lovingly and it may take some time for her to break her habits.  But try to hold regular financial meetings to monitor and discuss her progress.  Use this time also to praise her and encourage each other to keep working towards your collective goals.

Other options are to look at bringing more funds into the household, so maybe she needs to think about taking a job, even a part-time job or even starting a business.  There are also financial classes to help couples and others take control of their spending habits so maybe you should invest in these.