A "bonus" rule

Today was a  pretty good day at the office. Our new, improved cafeteria opened and I got a free travel mug and a piece of cake. We also learned how much our bonus would be and how much our salary increase would be. It tends to lift my mood when people tell me they are giving me money.


I have certain rules about some money-related things. For example, the "gift card rule." If you give me a gift card or certificate as a present, I feel it is my duty to make sure that it is spent on something I wouldn't have purchased otherwise. Similarly, money given to me as a gift does not go into the bank. Because once it gets deposited, it's "on the books" and has to be dutifully accounted for. Once money's in savings, I don't want to take it out. And once it's in checking, it just gets melded into the monthly budget, with any leftovers rolling into savings anyhow.


Tax returns go into savings. When we have three-paycheck months twice each year, that money is earmarked for projects around the house. But I have no rules for the bonus.


So I'm trying to decide what the sensible, responsible save-to-spend ratio is for such un-budgeted-for things. A large part of me is voting to spend it all on next month's IKEA trip, while a smaller part suggests splurging on a mani-pedi and banking the rest. Then again, I do believe the car might need some repairs...


The benefit of being single is getting to make all the decisions yourself. The drawback is having no one else to blame when you don't like the outcome.