Train Budgets?

Increase the budget?

Sell the wife (and kids...)?

Increase your monthly budget  !

Just kidding!  Not sure what to tell ya'

Not one to give advice, my budget is out of control...Good luck, let me know if you figure something out.

Budget?!!

Option 2 is, my wife left me 2 years ago.

What more can I say?!

Dennis

Paul, you should either be carrying the back orders on the books, or take them out of the budget when you place the order. Of course there's always cheating.

Budget???  $0

 I never exceed it more than the Feds do!!!

factor all stuff you have ordered against your budget!

"Budget?  We don't need to stinkin BUDGET!

My wife can't see this if she's not a member right?  RIGHT?!?!

Give her $500 to go shopping, stay home and order a $1,200 locomotive.For $1,700 your problem is solved.Nick

Paul,

As you can see from the comments above, there are three basic thoughts on this subject.  The first is from those that are divorced or about to be divorced, and that is "I'll do what I want."  The second is from those that want to keep their spouse happy, and that is "I'll do what she wants".  The third is from those that have a partnership with their spouse, and that is "I'll do what is best for us".

If you are in one of the first two groups, you already know what you are going to do.  The third is the hard one.  Basically, you talk about what happened and come to an agreement about how to modify the budget.  This usually means lowering the train budget over the next few months to make up the liability.  Or get your spouse's agreement to delay or cancel another purchase to cover this.

Since you stated this happens a lot, I like ogaugeguy's approach; set aside the funds the moment the preorder is placed.  You could also take out the funds from the budget over several months after you placed the pre-order.

Another thought would be to set your monthly train budget below the agreed amount so that you build up a reserve every month to cover these known unknowns (you know its coming, just not when). 

My experience with this was last November when 3rd Rail wanted payment for their PRR L1 which I ordered over a year earlier. With the holidays coming, this made life interesting until I talked my wife into making the engine my Christmas present.  Disaster averted. 

Ron

I take the money for the item I ordered out of the budget when I order it, and put it aside, "already spent" to pay for the backorders.  Since the money is already spent, I always stick to the planned budget.  

Hello guys and gals.....

the only budget we have this year for trains is the Beep. Last years budget was the WBB Geep.

The woman who loves the S.F. 5011,2678,2003

Tiffany

easy solution stop pre ordering 

I stick to buying what is actually PHYSICALY available. I stopped preordering years ago when I had to wait three years for something that I had to send back for repairs as soon as I unpacked it.

If you must preorder, then don't order more until the first item arrives - however long it takes.

Why wreck your marriage over what are still nothing more than toys?

I agree with Lee that's what I do but my budget is if I paid the cc off and it's empty buy until its full each month I have 1 cc for trains 1 cc for wife extra's and one cc for Kid extra's each get paid off every month.  if no wife or kid extra's they become train extra's

Does it ever happen that there are no train extra's?  If so, do they become wife/kid extra's?

Jeff Davis

nope wife told me to get a cc just for trains so that is the only thing I put on it. the others are for kids and wife for instance one my 26 year old has had it for 3 weeks. I just paid it off yesterday for him. he's having a hard time his g/f just lost her job so he has to cover all the bills .

 I would say on the average I spend about $750 per month

My take is slightly different from anything mentioned, so I'd like to share it.

I too have a budget (for everything...groceries, gasoline, trains, etc.), but with one exception, I allow myself to break it. The exception is as another stated, the credit card MUST be paid off, because otherwise the CC company is making money off of your hobby.

Anyway, the rule I use to spend beyond the budget is based on a truth in life that you never know what tomorrow may bring, so enjoy life now and "bank" on the assumption that you won't get hit by a truck or diagnosed with terminal cancer within a given time period. If you're still here, you have to pay back your overdrawn budget, but if not, at least the money wasn't just sitting in the bank while you were miserable.

The "time period" is the hard part to figure out (everyone is different), but it would vary based on the stability of your income, the amount of savings you have, and that you don't dip into your emergency funds.

For me, it's three months in advance. So, I'll exceed my budget and take money from up to three month's worth in advance, and have fun. If I'm still here in three months, well, I have to pay the money back, to bring my budget for trains out of the negative.

Sometimes a good deal comes along, and as they say, you can't take it with you.

Sounds like the perfect time for the old backdoor special!

I agree  . . .  I do spend as I said in my post above: I have a budget and spending plan, and when I pre-order, I put the money aside as "spent" at that time.

But I believe in strongly and practice exactly what Dave R does.  I have no debt at all - no mortgage, no car payments, no cc not paid off at the end of each month.  (It seemed impossible to do this years ago but it is actually do-able once kids are out of college and launched in their own lives and careers).  So, when I see something I want that I did not plan on, like the recent MTH ATSF Hudson, I just increase my train budget by the amount it costs and buy it (or in the case of the Hudsons, them).  One could say that this is a completely uncontrolled process, which in a way is true, but it is disciplined: I tell my wife when I increase my annual train budget, I have a written budget and spending record, I have plans and budgets for certain amounts of spending and certain hobby-related trips, and I know all that spending will "fit" within future needs. 

That brings back the old bumper sticker that says:

"MY WIFE SAID IF I BUY ONE MORE TRAIN, SHE'S GOING TO LEAVE ME,

GEE I'LL MISS HER"!

"Invader" and "artyoung" have the obvious solution, although you may pay more to

buy the thing later from somebody who made the crap shoot, invested his money

in it, actually got it before his death, and therefore is probably entitled to some

profit for his risk.   However, you have the use of and lack of concern about your

money while waiting for something to be canceled, under the maxim, "Time is money."

Fortunately for me, over the last several years, no expensive locos of interest have

shown up in catalogs....a couple of cars, usually which would not break me if I

preordered, which I didn't even bother to do this last time. (they'll show up on the

bay or in a show)  I do live in fear that they might actually put something in a

current catalog that will have narrow interest, except to me, and I will be forced

to preorder in the hope the thing gets made, and then, THAT becomes the concern,

the long wait until it gets canceled or delivered.

tackindy:

One of the funniest movies ever made. And remember, it does have a railroad interest.

Maybe the funniest ever.  The railroad is coming to Rock Ridge . . . I love to watch it!

I consider myself very fortunate. I don't have a budget. If I see something I like I'm able to buy it. It did take me many years to get to this point however.

My wife keeps saying "are you done NOW?"  I keep replying, yes dear, I think I'm finally done.  OOPS, suddenly, I find another MUST HAVE item that, when coupled to a new consist will be my final, absolute final, purchase.  (until that next time)  Budgets need not apply, talk to management.

I don't preorder. I buy as I go - dribs and drabs as they say. I did get in a hole with PayPal so I cancelled the account.

I have the perfect wife...no objections to anything I do or buy.  While she may roll her eyes when something new comes along, she views it in terms of the play value it provides me.  Needless to say, we have a great relationship!  She stays upstairs with her sewing projects, and I stay in the basement with the trains.  Three times a day we meet in the middle in the kitchen--for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  What a great life!!!!  (LOL) 

My Wife has a very simple solution.  If I spend $300.00, SHE Spends $300.00.

Very Simple!!! LOL

Fred 

I don't have a train budget as such. I do have limits, which I am generally disciplined enough to stick to. I once ran up some excessive credit card debt with a different hobby, and when I got out of that hole I had learned enough that it isn't going to happen again. I know what my income is, my bank balance, and my bills. I pay off my credit cards every month, so my only debt is the mortgage. I can keep track of things well enough in my head that I don't need a formal budgeting process. I seldom pre-order anything that costs very much, so when it comes in, it's just a cash flow item. I don't buy many expensive engines, etc. because I already have more than I can conveniently run, display, or store. So, I am basically in balance without a budget. 

My wife says there are two odd things about me .....

  1. How did I acquire so many model trains

  2. Why do I spend so much time in our garage out back ....

Actually ... when I pre-ordered things, I considered the money spent as of the expected due date .... and budgeted accordingly.

These days, with the household budget as it is .... I pretty much have to sell stuff, to buy stuff.