How Do I Surprise My Spouse with Gifts?

by Dave Ramsey

How do you surprise your spouse with a gift when you're both looking at the budget?

Dear Dave,

How do you buy a surprise gift for your spouse when you both see the budget and handle the checkbook?

Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

Start by having a gift-giving category as part of your budget. This works both ways, one for each of you. That way, you'll both know how much goes into that category, but you won't know where something was purchased or what was bought.

I think the gift category is the best and most fair way to give you both input and control over the budget. The idea that you're going to sneak up on your wife or husband with a $10,000 gift is pretty unrealistic if you're working on your finances together!

-Dave

* For more financial help, please visit daveramsey.com.

Photo by Charles Thomson/sxc.hu.