Abstract
The major purpose of this study was to explore the budgeting practices
needed by spouses in Enugu State. Specifically, the study identified factors
the spouses should consider in making household budget and procedures
spouses should adopt in making household budget. Descriptive research
design was adopted for the study. It was carried out in Enugu State. The
population for the study was 8,791 married teachers in the area of study. A
sample size of 382 was seletcted using multi-stage and random sampling
techniques. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Mean and standard
deviation were used for data analysis. The findings revealed 12 factors to
consider in making a household budget in Enugu State. These include
among others, considering the sources of income of the household,
considering the money available to the household, consider the size of
household, consider time and season of the year. It also identified 13
procedures spouses should adopt in making household budget in Enugu
State. These include taking inventory of all available and potential resources,
listing the expenses of the household members, estimating
expected/available income spent by the spouses; estimate the cost of the
needed expenses to be made by the spouses. Three recommendations were
made. These include spouses should create joint account as a panacea for
eliminating financial infidelity in the family; spouses should endeavour to
avoid creating communication gap; spouse should take household budgeting
seriously to enable the household make rational and reasonable expenses.