16 Real Moms Open Up About What It's Like Managing the Family Budget & Their Best 'Hack'

"We have a monthly meeting where we go over the accounts (checking, savings, retirement, HSA) and discuss where we are at and what big ticket things or projects are on the radar. And lately we are bringing my son into these conversations because we think it it’s important to learn how we have conversations about spending and savings." — Amanda B., Saint Paul, Minnesota

"Everyone gets an allowance: kids and parents. Each person buys whatever silly junk they want, but they have to use their allowance (even if it means they have to save up for it). This eliminates the stress and arguments about 'fun' purchases, which is my biggest hack, I guess." — Carolyn L., Tucson, Arizona

"One of our biggest hacks is having multiple savings accounts (with automatic deposits set up) for different purposes. We have one for pet expenses, one for travel, one for car expenses, and an emergency fund in addition to a general savings account. It helps us feel like we’re in control and ready for the most common big ticket expenses. It also helps make sure that our main savings account stays stable, which makes me feel secure." — Amy R., Lawrence, Kansas

"Our family uses the You Need a Budget (YNAB) app and it helps so much. It has helped us get clarity around where our money is really going in a way that we weren’t able to do on our own. My hack is to try a few apps or systems until you find the one that works best for you." — Jessa F., Tempe, Arizona

"We divide and conquer. I’m in charge of short-term finances (like paying the monthly bills) and my husband handles the long-term stuff (retirement, kids' 529 plans). If I have a surplus at the end of the month, we decide together where to put it. This helps make sure we both carry the weight for managing the money." — Tasha Y., Iowa City, Iowa

"We both hate dealing with money stuff, so we’ve taken turns being the person in charge of the finances. We’ve found that the set it and forget approach works for us. We have stable income, so we have a lot of bills on auto pay and all of the savings is automatic deposit on a monthly basis. We don't really have to make money decisions most months, because it is all already decided." -- Junie W., Costa Mesa, California

"My hack is to find a financial advisor you really trust. We had one that came highly recommended but that did super shady things with our 401(k)s. We ended up finding somebody that we trusted and got our money out from the other guy (we lost money in the process). Don’t trust financial advisors who don’t charge fees! Total red flag." — Lauren W., Lansing, Michigan

"We jointly manage our finances and the biggest hack is that we’ve agreed to some 'set in stone' ground rules. We don’t take on debt for anything but the mortgage. We max out our 401(K)s and Roth IRA. We each have credit cards in our own names, so we both have good credit in case something goes sideways. We prioritize saving for retirement over almost everything else. Once we agreed on the big stuff, the little stuff is easy." — Leslie B., Boise, Idaho

"We do what we can and we aren’t afraid to get expert help when we need it. Our tax situation is super complicated because of my husband’s job, so we hire an accountant. The money spent on that is worth every penny in reduced stress." — Paula G., Dallas, Texas

"I’m the financial person in our relationship and my partner is willfully ignorant and doesn’t want to engage at all. It is frustrating and I don’t recommend it. If I died in a freak accident, she’d be screwed because I don’t even think she knows all of the places we have accounts. My hack would be to marry someone who is capable of being a freaking adult about money." — Karly K., Portland, Maine

"I’m an accountant for my day-to-day job, so of course I’m also the chief accountant at home! My biggest hack is that we don’t budget down to the penny. We have a three-step system: bills paid first, savings/retirement account funded at a certain level second, and then whatever is left over is money for whatever. Some months the whatever is travel, sometimes it is lots of takeout, sometimes it might be clothing. We don’t fight about that stuff because we know that the basics are taken care of already." — Ama K., Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

"My biggest hack is knowing that how you do money can (and should!) evolve over time. There have been years when we need to watch every single penny and years when we have enough to be comfortable without tracking stuff. Right now we are in a less vigilant space, but will probably get more tight when our oldest starts college in two years. Adapting the financial management strategy to the moment is key." — Emily F., Norman, Oklahoma

"One thing that is working well for us right now is using Google Docs and Google Sheets to track our spending and financial stuff. We both have access to it, and we have a color coding system for noting when bills are paid. We can also leave each other notes about financial stuff, so it feels really transparent but doesn't require finding time to sit down together on a regular basis, which can be hard to find when we are so crazy busy." — Lori R., Newton, Kansas

"I am a control freak when it comes to money after having a past partner who totally screwed me over financially. One of my big things is that we both have credit in our own name and we both have accounts that the other person doesn’t have access to. If something goes sideways, we each have walk away money and that feels really comforting to me." — name withheld by request

"I find managing the finances to be super stressful. I’d rather not do it, to be honest, but my husband has a raging case of ADHD and it doesn’t work for him to be in charge. My hack is setting a dedicated time on my calendar each month to work on it and trying to make that time pleasant. I get a nice coffee drink, I have a snack, my husband keeps the kids at bay, I basically try to make it a little self-care moment, too." — Annie E., Tucson, Arizona

"The biggest hack is talking about money! There is still such a taboo about it but I have a group of girlfriends who are willing to share their goals, their habits, and their struggles, so it makes me feel like I’ve got a place to process my feelings around managing my family’s finances and that helps a lot." — Jenny R., Des Moines, Iowa