Submit your Money Secret and Win!

Do you want to get a financial secret off your chest? Want to share how much you make? Or what you frivolously spend your dough on? What's your budget? How much are you in the hole?

Every 25 submissions will be entered into a $25 Amazon gift card drawing. That's a one in 25 chance in winning, for all you math junkies out there.

You can totally be anonymous if you want, but make sure we can get your gift certificate to you via e-mail if you win.



(Annoying Disclaimer: When you submit content to Other People's Money, you hereby grant Other People's Money and all other related or affiliated publications in all media that may exist now or in the future, an irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free license to copy, publish, reproduce, transmit, distribute, create any derivative works from, and/or publicly use or display any related materials or information from such submissions, in all territories throughout the world, in perpetuity (or to the longest extent permitted under U.S. and international law).

(Also, we won't ever sell or disclose your e-mail address to anyone, because that's just rude.)

Other People's Money Confessions #3

Even if I have the money to do so, I will never pay a bill on time. I think I like the drama of submitting a payment at the very last moment possible. I like the sense of control I get from doing this.

--F, age 42

Lots of Education, Lots of Debt

Arla B., age 31, Master's level counselor
Ben B., age 32, Attorney (Public Sector)
Rural City, California
2 children under age 5


Betty's Monthly Income: $3500
Danny's Monthly Income: $3600

Mortgage: $1375

Danny's Student Loans: $870
Betty's Student Loans: ($400, in deferment)

Health Insurance: $0 (government insurance, huge deductible)

Car 1: $256
Car 2: $577
Car Insurance: $96
Gas: $120

Credit Card minimums: $370 (3 cards total)

Childcare: $284 (part-time)

Medical Bills: $350 (payment arrangements for a total of $2000)

Gas and Electric: $125 (average)
Phones/Internet: $200

Food: $700
Eating out: $100

Misc. (Diapers, Household Items, etc.) $240

Dry Cleaning: $120

Traveling: $200

Random Crap that I can't account for: $900

Amount in per month: $7200
Amount out: $ 6900

We are so bad with money. We should have been able to save like 10 grand last year, but our savings account has about $17 in it. Even when my student loans and 2nd child's daycare cost kick in, we still should be able to save a little every month. We've resolved to stop spending our extra income on crap, but we'll see if we can do it.

Other People's Money Confessions #2

We don't have any money saved for our kids' college education. They're 15 and 17, and they think that we do.

--The K's, age 51 and 57

Popular Blogger Shows Us Her Money

Whoa. This lady (warning, lots of expletives on her site) spends $2650 on rent???? That's double my mortgage!

Results of today's budget figures:

Monthly income: $5400/month (including my [online writing] gig and some disability money for Mr. B. from the VA)

Rent: $2650
Car insurance: $74
Gas (heat and cooking, averaged out over the year): $200
Phone: $40
Long distance: $10
Cells: $95
Internet: $60
Garbage: $8

Slightly discretionary:
Gas (car): $120
Groceries: $600
LA Times: $10 (cancel it)
Ventura County Star: $10 (cancel it)
Netflix: $10

What's leftover, per month, to pay for after-school care, summer camps, books (I buy too many books), eating out, clothes, and stupid [stuff] we don't really need: $1475.

Which means that we have about $369/week discretionary spending for the three of us. Notice our lack of things like a car payment, life insurance (though Mr. B. has some through his job), renter's insurance, and health care deductibles.

So, I am not the only one who spends a bunch of money on stupid [stuff] we don't need...

Other People's Money Confessions #1

I pawned my sister's guitar so I could pay my loser boyfriend's rent.

--J.P., age 32

About Other People's Money

I am Betty Bucks. I came up with this site because:

1. I am nosy

2. I want to know how much other people make and spend

and

3. I love Postsecret like everyone else in the free world.

Hopefully this site allow me to see if I am the only one with out-of-control spending and huge debt, or if I am just one of the masses. And fulfill my Postsecret-like voyeuristic financial curiosity.

My husband, Danny Bucks, runs this site with me. He breaks out into a cold sweat during Suze Orman's "Can I Afford It?" segment of her show. He hates late fees and hopes Santa will bring him a flat screen t.v. this year. I would prefer cash money.