Tips for Living Apart During Training
Tips for Living Apart During Training
When my husband went for training in a different state for four months, we decided before he left that we would come up with a plan for our budget during that time apart. Being together, it is easy to share what money is used for – to fix the car, make big purchases, spend day-to-day. But being apart has unique financial challenges. Groceries are the big expense when we are together, so being apart it makes it twice the cost.
We made a list of what we would need to buy during this time (food, gas, seasonal clothes) and made a budget for those items. We also gave ourselves an allowance each month to spend on something for ourselves that wasn’t a necessity. This helped keep us close while being apart and helped us create a great budget we could continue when my husband came back from training.
MilSpouse Money
Mission Response:
What a great picture of you and your husband, Leah! Thank you for sharing your practical tip to plan for necessities but also fitting in some fun. It is not always easy to communicate with your spouse when they are away for training so talking over your budget ahead of time is key. Consider using the Personal Financial Values and Money Manager Rating handouts as discussion tools if you need help getting started.
You may find that your cash inflows and outflows change while your spouse is away. Sometimes training includes special pay and allowances. Make sure to account for these changes and adjust as needed. Like Leah mentions, you may be spending more in a category like groceries, but less in another such as entertainment. Visit Money Ready 101: Create a Budget for steps to get started on building a plan that works with where your family is now and where you’re headed. It doesn’t matter what method you use to keep track – a spreadsheet, mobile app, or pen and paper – but the most important thing is that you do it. Use our budget planning worksheet to get started!
