To Do List – DONE!

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Are you ready to cross chores off your list faster than you ever thought possible?  If your answer was ‘YES!!” then I have a great idea for you.  Our ‘To Do” list was getting WAAAAAY too long, there were chores my husband and I were both procrastinating doing and it was starting to drive me nuts. I thought back to my childhood when my parents would give us $5 a week as allowance and how excited I was to earn that cash.  Using that as my model I came up with this fun idea and in one afternoon my husband and I had EVERY chore crossed off our list.  It was so great!

Here’s the plan:

1. Decide how much money you want to put towards payment for your chores.  I went to the bank and got it out in small bills, but you could totally raid your piggy bank/underwear drawer/couch cushion/mattress too!

2. Get a box of security tinted envelopes (no peeking!) Decide how many chores you want to do and count out that many envelopes (I’d suggest no more than 10 unless you want to be working all day!!)

3. Divide the cash into the envelopes, putting different amounts into each one.  One envelope may have $1  another could have a $10 bill, etc.

4. Seal each envelope up then mix them so you don’t know how much money is in each.

5. Pull out that ‘To-do’ list and write down one chore on the outside of each envelope.

6. Now for the fun part! Spread the envelopes out and choose a chore to do.  Once you or your husband have completed the task you can open up the envelope and take your money! This can be pretty hilarious…”WHAAAT, I just cleaned all that nasty hair out of the tub drain and only got a quarter!!??!” Or “SWEET, twenty bucks for shredding a pile of papers!!”

7. Enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done, then decide what you want to do with all your hard-earned money.  If you still have plenty of energy left you may want to try out Cami’s fun date Competition at the Park, or if you want to kick back and relax at home, try out Kristen’s You Tube Date Night.

OR

If you are not into surprises, just write the chore on a slip of paper and paperclip the money to it. When your husband sees that $5 bill, he may think that scrubbing the microwave might not be so hard after all!

Julie

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My favorites are my husband, children, Downton Abbey, root beer slushes, and really good pasta.

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Recent Comments

  1. I totally had the same idea as Ana! I think winning treats and enjoyable experiences together would be more motivating for us than money, and it would also lead to more great dates later!

  2. Love this idea! It could also work with cupons or vouchers for couples on a tight budget.
    I would put things like a massage, your favorite desert, a bubble bath, a movie of your choice, etc.

  3. This would be a great idea for the kids too, and then going on a “family date” to spend their earnings! 🙂 Thank you!!! 🙂

    1. A family date is a great idea! There are some cute ideas for family date nights on our site if you look under the tab- Special Moments- Family Fun:)

  4. This site is so creative! Cute and motivating idea. Now, if I could just get someone to make the envelopes and go to the bank too. 🙂 I’m going to work more days very soon and have been thinking about how to make cleaning a family project, instead carrying most of the load. I will keep this idea and see if it works for us too. Thanks.

    1. Good Luck! I hope it works for you:) You could even use different types of incentives if you are doing it with children (popcorn party, favorite dinner choice, or something:)

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