Best way to track child expenses?

[Daniel Trezub]

Hi, Kaus.

It's not a matter of control the rest of the family. The money I track is my
money, but money I spend with my daughter. She has her own money, that she
tracks the way she thinks is the best (she thinks she is not ready for
gnucash or other software yet).
As with any kind of expense, I like to know how much I've spend with her,
and where.
Putting all my expenses with her in the "kids' account, for example, does
not tell me where I've spent my money, right?
And, as we are in a never ending process of money education, I like to know
that, for example, 90% of my clothing expenses last month was with her
clothings :) Hey, little girl, I think we have to slow down the clothing
shopping this month, right?

So, I think my question is answered. In my case, it's best to track it the
"Clothes: Daughter" way than the "Daughter: Clothes" way.

Thanks for you opinion, Klaus!

=====
Daniel Trezub
http://www.gameblogs.com.br


On 8 April 2010 18:37, Klaus Dahlke <klaus.dahlke at gmx.de> wrote:

>
> 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!
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