Comments on: Get Your Financial Life On One Page (FLOP) – GS12

By: Gerard Ordoyne

Gerard Ordoyne — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:35:40 +0000

A great service you are doing Bob, I’m excited to learn more.

By: Jonathan K

Jonathan K — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:42:49 +0000

This is good advice. I started using a FLOP after reading an article by Bob last year. We keep our Daily Expenses Ledger, Monthly Budget, Savings Account Balances, Gift Card balances, and login information in it.

We started going over the finances about once a month, talking things through, and our finances have gone from good to great! We’ve also found that having an allotted amount (Cash) for each spouse as an allowance has resolved a majority of the conflicts we had over money. I can go watch movies at the theater or grab a bite to eat at work and she can shop for clothes as long as it is within the allowance budget. And we don’t have to know the details of each other’s allowance spending either.

Any purchase over $50 we do discuss together. That is great advice.

By: Jonathan K

Jonathan K — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:24:50 +0000

You can get freeware that functions the much like Microsoft Office. It is called Open Office. It has programs that open documents formatted for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and many more. Check it out.

http://www.openoffice.org/download/

By: KC @ PsychoMoney

KC @ PsychoMoney — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:24:47 +0000

Great advice. I do need to clean up my passwords. If something did happen to me right now I am sure it would be more than a mess for the next person to clean up.

By: my honest answer

my honest answer — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:48:29 +0000

This is really great advice – I look after all our finances, and you’re right, I can’t remember half my passwords so goodness know what would happen should something happen to me. I’m going to work on this ASAP!

By: Lori Bryant

Lori Bryant — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:24:32 +0000

Understanding,
My husband and I too use to have trouble talking about the finances. It is hard to let go of control sometimes. When we first started out I did not like having to tell him what I was spending money on. It was groceries but, as Bob has pointed out they can take a huge bite out and you have to be careful even if you are trying to feed your family.
I don’t know if anything is hidden by your spouse but the best thing you can both do is talk it out. It is not about distrust, it is about understanding where you are financially and how you would pick up the finances if something were to happen to the one that is not as involved. As a female I know we can be intimidating and even scary sometimes but we are usually defensive because we don’t think we are being heard. We have now been married 25 years and even though I still do the finances, I never make a large purchase (to me that is anything over 50.00 without talking to my spouse first and he does the same for me. I am never told no, I am told “you know what we have” and I say the same to him. It is really all about trust and honesty and you can’t have one without the other. Don’t give up! You may argue but don’t let that scare you off!!
And I am with you on the your money, my money mentallity. I don’t see how that ever works. It is your money together. You are a team and team members don’t carry things on their own, they always work together for the good of the whole team.
Good luck and I will be praying for a softening of her heart, opening of her ears, and a gentleness of your words!

By: Tere

Tere — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:24:13 +0000

Hi, I downloaded your template, but when I tried to open it, it locked up my computer for a while until I trashed the download. Is this using an old version of excel? Do you have an updated template? Thanks.

By: Understanding

Understanding — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:51:12 +0000

My spouse and I seem to have a different view of reviewing finances together. My spouse finds it distrusting or is offended. Now bills are paid by spouse and reviewed by the other spouse for logging purposes. No discussions really, just posting amounts for the month. I don’t see how accountability is shared here. There seems to be a your money, my money mentality with little acknowledgement to this gap. I tend to feel that something is not fully disclosed.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:54:36 +0000

This is really good. It took my Dad more than a year to get access to late Mum’s account. Such information would have made life easier for himhis would

By: Jensons

Jensons — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:38:55 +0000

Loved the idea of your FLOP. I think finances is one of the strongest ways Christians fall flat on their face today. We are to have a shining testimony in every area of life and this has been very encouraging. Thank you for sharing such a persaonal part of your family to help teach others.