Budgeting Mistakes with Two Incomes

Filed in archive Saving on March 10, 2010

© Mrs. Duncan

When both spouses work and bring money into the home on a regular basis, it is common for them to base their budget on both incomes. This is not a good idea.

On their Website, Moms-living-debt-free.com, the simple question is asked, "What if there is an unexpected illness or pregnancy?" This is a very good question.

If you build your budget based on two incomes, it is more likely that you may be headed for financial trouble. While no one likes to think about it, if there should be a lasting illness, a death, a divorce, or anything else out of the ordinary that keeps this double income from coming in regularly, financial trouble will soon follow.

It is better to build your annual budget on the income of one of the spouses, and then put the other spouse's income into savings accounts. When needed and agreed upon, money can then be pulled out for special purchases or needs. And when a difficulty comes - such as a hospitalization, the house will not be lost because of an inability to keep up with the debt.

Couples that have based their family budget on two incomes should sit down and rethink their budget. It may take some time to be able to do this, due to the debt that may need to be paid off first, but it would certainly be a budget move that makes sense.