We don't factor it into our budget, and usually put it towards paying down our mortgage or a reno job. DH feels like i should still buy something big for myself since i've "earned it", but last year i felt too guilty since i was on mat leave.
Do you splurge on an item for yourself? Does it go into the joint account to deal with household expenses?
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
DH used to get a bonus every year and it would usually go toward something big that we needed. Unfortunately we just don't have the money to splurge right now....
honeydew / 7667 posts
Goes into savings normally. I might be something small (a new purse) but the rest goes into savings.
This year we are going to use it to work on our basement.
clementine / 854 posts
DH just started a job where he will get small monthly bonuses and a larger one annually. We're initially going to put it into our kitchen reno account. Once the kitchen is done (hopefully end if the year), we'll use it for paying down student loans.
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
DH and I both get bonused quarterly and we always use them to pay down debt, finish a household project then savings/retirement. We're putting a huge chunk of bonuses into an RRSP this year.... I'll make me sad to see our savings account empty but I'm sure I'll be happy about it in 40 years :T
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
Every March, as long as our company (as a whole) meets sales goals, every employee gets so many days' worth of pay. We go on vacation with ours!
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
I don't get a bonus but this summer I taught summer school and while most of it was put towards savings or DD's daycare for the month of August (we kept her in while I've been off), DH encouraged me to use some for pampering. And I did! All summer long I indulged in mani/pedis every 2-3 weeks (just got one today!) and it felt great!
DH gets a bonus every year and we first use it towards something like mortgage or something that needs fixing and then we'll decide what fun thing we can spend it on. If there's nothing, then we'll just put it into savings.
I very much encourage you to spend a little on yourself. Even if you were on mat leave, taking care of a child full time is hard work! DH is very encouraging of my spending some money on myself because even having DD for a day alone wears him out so he totally understands when I say that I need to treat myself. 
hostess / wonderful apple seed / 16729 posts
Most of my bonus goes to savings or debt but I do take a small chunk to splurge on myself. We also go out to dinner.
I usually have a hard time buying things for myself. I get excited for buying things for the home so to buy something for absolutely myself takes a long time.
I think last year, I went clothes shopping.
I did just get an anniversary gift from my company and I chose an apple gift card over an amazon gc. If I went with Amazon, I'm pretty sure I would have gotten things for the home. Instead, I'm getting an ipad mini.
nectarine / 2765 posts
Every year in early Nov. we get a bonus based on our company/locations performance. If there's been something in particular in the past that I've wanted I've used it as an excuse to use part of it towards that item, but, generally, it goes into savings. This year I'll be on maternity leave when it comes so it'll be extra nice to have since it'll be mostly unpaid.
honeydew / 7444 posts
@futuremama: Small monthly bonuses would be nice!
@Rubies: Last year's bonus was relatively small but it coincided near the end of mat leave when we found things to be fairly tight. Since he never complained about my spending during mat leave, i was okay with the money going towards the family. Next year, i'm definitely going to indulge a little bit on myself.
@bluestriped bee: I also get more excited about buying things for the home! Good for you in getting that ipad mini. Awesome anniversary gift!
pomegranate / 3160 posts
I get quarterly commission, and in the past it basically just got dumped into savings. This past year, however, I started putting the majority of it into a separate "savings" account to use towards bills and stuff when I go on maternity leave (and if I decide not to go back, to buy us a few more months before I find something else).
persimmon / 1281 posts
For the last 2 years my company has given bonuses every quarter. Most of it goes straight into our vacation account :). After every vacation we choose somewhere new to visit. The balance usually goes to additional savings, missions and charity.
pear / 1556 posts
When DH still had a full time job, I used to use the majority of my bonus for our savings account, a little to pay down debt, and then something small for myself. Now without him working full time I just use the whole thing for the savings account and debt. It's kind of nice to spend a little bit on yourself though for doing a god job
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6581 posts
DH gets one and this year we are splitting it 30% on xmas presents for family/30% on credit card debt/40% into savings.
We aren't financially comfortable enough to splurge this year. Maybe next!
clementine / 943 posts
DH gets a bonus annually. We usually do an extra mortgage payment, put some towards the house, invest some and then save the rest.
I say, take a little bit for yourself! I would have no problem if DH wanted to take a good chunk of his bonus and spend it on himself.
pomegranate / 3003 posts
We both get bonuses in December. It's a holiday bonus, but the amount is performance based. We usually save it, or put it towards holiday gifts/vacation expenses. We plan to buy a nice camera this year, now that we have a little one.
pomegranate / 3032 posts
At my company, I get a holiday bonus which usually goes toward christmas gifts and an end of season bonus in june which is usually right when we take our vacation so we usually use it for that and anything left over either equals a small treat or gets put towards debt or savings.
My review was delayed this year by almost 2 months so i'll get a nice retro pay check that coupled with some birthday money i think i'm going to treat myself to an ipad.
watermelon / 14206 posts
DH just puts it in his checking account and we go about our lives. We don't do anything extra, really. But, it's not a huge amount, either.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
We use my bonus to pay debt. I wouldn't want to use it on just me knowing we have a debt balance.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
@Freckles: We put most of it into savings, but take a percentage of it to use towards a nice dinner out or something else we can both enjoy! And heyyy, you changed your avatar - I like!!
coconut / 8430 posts
We just put our bonus into savings. I figure we treat ourselves regularly throughout the year for various occasions so there is no need to do anything special just because our paycheck happens to be a bit bigger one month due to a bonus.
clementine / 984 posts
We split any extra money (refunds, bonuses, reimbursements) 1/2 bills and savings and then 1/4 to each of us for fun stuff. A little reward, but the benefit of being pretty responsible, too.
If I get a "just because" bonus at work, then DH encourages me to do something fun before we divide it up.
pomelo / 5258 posts
I've never discussed my bonuses with DH but then again they are pretty small - this year's was 0.3% of my salary. It just went to our general fund. DH doesn't get bonuses.
How big are these bonuses?
apricot / 432 posts
We typically put ours in savings, but keep a little bit for fun money.
@Corduroy: We're both eligible for a 10% bonus annually, though it is dependent on personal performance and also company financials.
pomegranate / 3809 posts
It just goes into checkings, then eventually to savings if our checkings goes above some threshold. We don't allocate fun money. We get paid biweekly and also get a sort of 'bonus' with those 3 pay day months since we think of our monthly budget as 2 pay checks.
cantaloupe / 6730 posts
Normally, my bonus goes to Christmas presents and the remainder to my credit card. This is my first debt-free year, so I'm not sure what I'll spend it on. The car needs new tires, so perhaps that? Perhaps a vacation fund? Oh the options!!
I'd probably spend a small proportion of it on me - especially if DH is on board with it.
clementine / 824 posts
In the past, I've put some towards major purchases like a car or some work around the house and then just put the rest in savings. This year is a little different because I already know how much I'll be getting, so I can count on it in our earnings and can start planning on how we might want to use it. *If* we spend it at all, it will either go towards a bigger house or we'll use some for a new roof & siding if we decide to stay in our current house.
clementine / 948 posts
Over 50% of DH's income is bonus... and of course we have a plan for that money already. First pay back student loans to his parents, do a kitchen reno and save (although prob not much after the reno, eek). But we do consistently save every month on our regular salaries, so I don't feel too bad spending the bonus
grapefruit / 4545 posts
DH gets a bonus - his goes towards his debt (student loans and CC from law school).
I just started getting a bonus (this year will be year #3) - its usually around $5K. The first year I used it to pay off bills from the wedding and some savings. Last year, most went towards home repairs/savings but I used some to buy our bed and the crib for DD. This year I'll be using some to pay of my last CC bill, set some aside to surprise DH with a flight to meet me in Europe next time I go and the rest will go into savings.
DH is of the opinion its my bonus and I should use it on me - but for now we just need too much joint stuff to do that. I usually end up doing something joint with it. However, I would not feel bad about buying a new coach purse or something with it!
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
We are each allowed a splurge item. I am not eligible for one this year as I am a contract employee, but if my husband gets one, we both get a little something.
nectarine / 2433 posts
My bonus is 20-25% annually. We don't plan for it because it is based on a profit share model so there is always a chance I wouldn't get anything.
Usually we put it in our RRSP account, this year we put some towards some debt and a down payment for a home
pomegranate / 3580 posts
Usually just into saving plus a bit towards a small "fun" purchase. I get quarterly bonuses, but I miss getting one big sum every December!!
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