Episode•February 7, 2023•7 min

The Joys of Having Blow Money in Your Budget | Ep. 201

Money doesn't have to be a source of stress. In fact, when you have blow money in your budget, it can be really fun! In this episode, I'll share some tips for ensuring you always have a little bit of fun money to spend and why it's important. Every Tuesday, Tiffany answers one of your submitted questions. To submit a question for an upcoming episode, visit here: https://www.moneytalkwitht.com/asktiffany Connect with Tiffany on Social Media Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter: @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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Key Takeaways

1
Blow money (also called fun money) is a dedicated budget line item for spontaneous or unplanned purchases.
Prevents feeling deprived while staying on budget
Acts as a cushion for unexpected expenses without raiding other categories
Should be included even if the amount is small ($5–$10)
2
Every dollar in your budget must be assigned a purpose, including the cushion.
Unassigned money tends to disappear by month-end
Treating blow money as a planned category keeps it intentional and trackable
3
Use blow money to cover overages instead of borrowing from other budget lines.
Example: $100 unplanned kids' clothing purchase when only $50 is budgeted—use blow money for the remaining $50
Protects savings goals like vacation or eating-out funds
4
Blow money is especially critical for new budgeters but remains valuable long-term.
Helps prevent early derailment of budgeting progress
Leftover blow money at month-end can be used for a treat or business expense

Intro

In this Tiffany's Take episode, Tiffany Grant answers a listener question about the concept of 'blow money' in budgeting and explains why allocating fun money is essential for financial success and mental well-being.
Tiffany Grant is a financial coach and host of the Money Talk with Tiff podcast, where she helps listeners manage money with practical, no-nonsense strategies.

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– What Is Blow Money?

Tiffany defines blow money (or fun money) as a budget line item reserved for anything you want to buy without guilt or planning.

Blow money or fund money is just money that you put to the side for you to do whatever it is you like to do.
– Tiffany Grant

– Why Budgeting Needs a Fun-Money Cushion

Feeling deprived leads to budget failure. Allocating even a small amount prevents overspending from other categories and keeps motivation high.

We don't want that to happen with your budget... we want to make sure that we have that blow money or fund money line item and you can treat yourself a little bit.
– Tiffany Grant

– Real-World Example: Kids' Clothing Purchase

Tiffany walks through a $100 unplanned clothing purchase when only $50 is budgeted for kids' clothes. The remaining $50 comes from blow money instead of vacation or dining-out funds.