Ask:
I'm tweaking our monthly budget, and I'm trying to figure out how to account for DH's overtime. Its not a guarantee for each week, and the OT hours vary each week. He may get 5 hrs one week and 20 the next. He has a set salary for the first 40 hours. Is this the amount that ya'll budget in? Then use any OT he might earn as an added bonus to paying off debt or putting into savings.
I will hopefully be quitting my job in July after our second child is born. The closer its getting to that date, the more I'm panicking about living off DH salary. I've always worked and my job is much more stable/secure than his. DH has had 2 layoffs in the past 2 years. Did anyone else go through this panic stage when you decided to stay at home? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Answer:
Wow, I am going throught the same panic stage so I can't help you with that. I plan on quitting on August 31st! But I can tell you that we budget on his 40 hrs and then any overtime goes to pay off debt, or as play money, but usually to get the cc gone. Our goal is to have no cc debt when I quit. We should be able to make it.
Answer:
I never try to budget in OT as like you said, its not guarenteed. Dh is in the same boat, one week might be 5 another might be 15, and yet another might have none at all. I do work PT, and I don't count any extra hours I might get either. SO I tweak the budget on what we make BASE pay, then anything extra is gravy and I can put that toward what needs to be paid. Its HARD because we would NEVER make the bills without dh's OT or my extra hours, but it you count it and its noth there, you might end up losing out anyway.
Answer:
I would only use his guaranteed pay to do your budget. If he doesn't get guaranteed OT it might be too risky to try to include it in your budget.
Answer:
I agree. My overtime is pretty much under my control, how much I want to work, but I never "count" on it.