We've got the budget in place here at my house, and it is working. Making steady progress on chipping away at the debt, building the savings, and taking care of everything else at is comes without using the credit cards. No longer paycheck to paycheck, smarter spending, etc. I'm liking the direction that we are taking. Do I sleep easy at night because I've got a huge safety net to catch us if there is a problem? No, but I've got a plan that is workable should we have substantial changes in our scenario.

That said, there is another budget I'm dealing with ... that of the Morning Kindergarten Party Fund. Each class has $200 for the Halloween Party, Christmas Party, and Field Day (year end picnic school-wide). The Kindergarten also has a Valentine's Day Party and Graduation Get Together, plus we celebrate the teacher's and aide's birthday. Parents do contribute supplies and snacks for the parties, so that isn't the sole source of supplies, etc. In my experience, I've been a rather no-nonsense room parent, fun parties, movies and snacks, etc. I've incorporated service projects (we are at a Catholic school and I believe it is important to remember the less fortunate). I've also managed to have an $18 surplus one year that we donated to the school. OK, now you kind of have my approach.

Well ... I'm co-room parent to a mother who is a lover of loot bags. At the planning meeting last Thursday for the Halloween party, she wanted to place a $68 order at Oriental Trading Company for plastic crap for "goodies" - and she gushed over each and every item description (colorful bouncy balls, tattoos, erasers, big bendables, etc. etc. etc.). My kids go trick-or-treating and get enough sugary crap, I don't need plastic crap all over as well.

I was reluctant to go along with this and said:
(1) in my experience the $200 doesn't go as far as one might think
(2) we could use some of our surplus at the end of the year to do goodie bags (maybe get squirt guns for the picnic, etc).
(3) if there is a deficit at the end of the year, I won't be contributing to cover it

I also pointed out that for future parties we should plan a service component. The other room mother said, "But oh ... they're still so little, and might not understand." To that I had to say that even in kindergarten they should be aware that they are fortunate and should help out the less fortunate. The other mother had to agree with that. I suggested that she simply be responsible for the budget, and I'd be responsible for correspondence (send out all emails and communicate with the other parents about party details, etc.) She initially agreed.

Until this morning, when I got an email saying she'd like to be jointly responsible for the budget, and she'd be going to the Dollar Tree to see if she could rework the numbers. I don't know this other mother well enough to tell what her motives are, but I said we could talk about it at the planning for the Christmas party. I'm done dealing with Halloween.

Oh, how simple it would be to be the only room parent ...