Best way to track child expenses?

[Klaus Dahlke]

Hi Daniel,
that's a bit a twofold philosophical question:
a) what kind of information you would like to get?
b) to what level to you want to 'control' the rest of the family?

to a)
I don't have a real preference. Some spending caused by the kids (like fees for membership in a sport club)  I account under Expenses:Memberships and not even a more detailed account. Some expenses (like equipment for school, clothing) are accounted under Expenses:Kids.

to b)
I don't like to detail the accounting too much.  It is 'us' (my wife and I) who earns the family income and we spend it for e.g Expenses:Clothing. I don't want to have for the family finances a more detail view because I want to see only whether certain expenses for the family has gone up beyond the normal inflation rate resp. whether an increase is within reasonable limits. I believe that a somewhat coarse accounting would bring benefits to the family life ... In essence it is all about finding the right balance between knowing were the money goes to and being a control freak having every family member under financial surveillance.

Just my 2ct,
Klaus





On Wed, 7 Apr 2010 21:04:03 -0300
Daniel Trezub <daniel3ub at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi, guys/gals!
> 
> I am wondering what is the best way to track child/wife expenses.
> 
> Example:
> I have an Expenses: Dining Out account.
> But sometimes my teenager daughter goes dining out.
> 
> What is the best way to track these expenses?
> An "Expenses: Dining Out: Teenager" account
> or an "Expenses: Teenager: Dining Out" account?
> 
> And I could ask the same for my wife's expenses or other types of expenses
> (her clothing, her car, etc). How do you manage that?
> 
> Thanks!
> _______________________________________________