Missing money

[MissingMoney]

Our family is in debt, and since New Year's Eve we have been consciously digging our way out of the hole. £2,600 paid, £27,800 to go... I'm so proud of us, nearly 10% cleared already.

We have set reasonable weekly budgets for clothes, petrol, birthdays, next Christmas and a kitty for everything else.

It is working so well and for the first time I believe we can do this. However, money has started going missing from the kitty.

£1.47, then £4.29, and most recently £6.65.

I trust my husband and daughter, so I don't need to go 'there'. Where are we going wrong? How do we loose such random numbers. This only started happening this month so for the first two months the books balanced perfectly.

Argh! It's so frustrating. Has anyone else had this experience or can suggest anything I haven't checked?

Your husband or daughter is taking it, obviously.

What is the kitty in, physically? Have you told them both not to take anything from it?

I have an old jug in my kitchen where we chuck our change in it to save for holiday spending money but my OH won't think twice about taking a few quid from it for the parking meter or kids bus fares.

Who else comes in the house then? You'll need to go 'there' if you don't think it's your husband or daughter. The random amounts would lead me to think it is someone in the household paying small bills from it.

If you're absolutely sure money has gone missing it's either your husband or your daughter or a visitor.

It can't be anything else, you don't get change pinching gremlins I'm afraid

I posted in chat for more traffic and I think, discussing it with DH I'm coming to the idea that it is sticky fingers, but I'm so sad about it.

The books where balanced against the amount on Monday and only one transaction between then and now - you don't mess up change by £6.65 in one transaction.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2885239-Missing-money?msgid=67811257#67811257

I am so sorry to hear this. I second a lockable tin with one person (not your child) having the key. Littlies can see heaps of money and assume none will be missed as there's so much to go around.