Actually what has worked for hubby and I is agreeing to save x amount, pay the monthly bills and large bills like semi-annual property taxes.......and whatever each one of us had left after each payday was our own “mad money.” Mad money expenditures have always been our own, we agreed not to micromanage each other on these.
We also have always had separate checking accounts. We saw other couples power-struggling over bounced checks etc. with joint accounts and we decided we didn’t want to do that.
We has his, mine, and ours and each have our own Credit cards. I set aside X $ for mad money monthly, since I don’t do make up, except eye brow courtesy of hypothyroidism and eye issues, I can afford high end lenses. But big purchases are a joint things. Like downsizing the house. He’d still be living in crime riddle Memphis and falling off the roof of the house if I’d not pushed him into a starter house which is what 2 older people can handle in the next county.
He will buy his own lawn equipment after all that is his job. I want new pots and pans I buy them.
He has a hard time letting useless things go, I don’t and I’m a hard headed Scot skin flint. When We moved I ditched 40 year old junk when he wasn’t looking. He never missed it. Still to much in the attic to be pitched. Some of it salable to a Ham Radio club. Most just junk. He can donate mine to a quilt club, I’ve tubs of fabric. I’d planned on a quilting room up there until the eye site went south. Will find out next month if the Lasix was worth the $5K to fix it. When I get the new glass script they best get it on the money or they will get it back and I’ll get a refund and go elsewhere. Tried of getting second rate junk. And I don’t use those box stores. Examine the blank before you cut the things. I make the Othomologist get it right, now you get it right.