‘I invoice my husband $600 a month for chores that he forgets to do’

The invoice can vary between $30 to $600 depending on the month

Jess Wright, 32, first billed her husband, DJ, 33, four years ago when she started to get frustrated with him forgetting to tidy up and leaving dirty clothes out.

DJ, a real estate investor, was "taken aback at first" but says it now really helps him keep on top of his fair of chores.

The pair, who share three children - aged eight, four and two - split chores equally and decide week by week what they each take on.

Jess will tally up DJ's missed chores through the month - marking a small annoyance such as leaving the toothpaste out at $5.

A moderate frustration will cost DJ $10 to $20 - for forgetting to do a chore such as the laundry.

And a major offence would be forgetting to switch out the car seats and set DJ back between $25 to $50 depending on Jess' mood.

DJ's invoice can vary between $30 to $600 depending on the month.

Jess, a mental health councillor, from Atlanta, Georgia, US, said: "I'm being compensated for it [picking up the chore].

"There is less resentment."

DJ, who is also an army veteran, said: "Ultimately we wanted to keep the peace.

"It's unorthodox.

"I like the system. She's not yelling.

"I just pay it and that's it."

Jess and DJ have been together for eight years and married for seven.

Jess said: "When I first met him he told me he was neat.

"I didn't find out that he wasn't until we were stationed out in Texas together.

"I kept having to all these conversations - why have you left your glass out or your shirt out?

"He's very forgetful."

But when chores tripled as their family grew, Jess found herself becoming more frustrated and decided to make a tally and send a bill to her husband out of the blue.

Jess said: "I was putting in more energy to talk to him about it.

"Once you start adding kids there is a lot more to talk about than these petty conversations.

"I decided to pull on his strengths - money motivation. "

DJ said: "I was a bit taken aback at first.

"It definitely does work - it's not that I never do the chores.

"I never do it on purpose.

"It's one of my weaknesses - I'm not very tidy.

"The bill is between $30 to $600.

"I don't want to pay $600 for my mishaps.

"Some months I do better.

"It's helped to have money attached to it."

Jess keeps a tally in an excel spreadsheet and the pair keep track of chores in a calendar.

They split chores equally but differently week by week - depending on what they each have on.

Jess said: "There is not a huge expectation on him to complete it all and vice versa."

But if something is left out by DJ instead of being put away, Jess will tot it up instead of complaining to her husband and causing an argument.

She said: "It's big for me for everything to have a home - that's a small annoyance fee."

DJ pays the invoice from his separate account to Jess and she uses the money for herself or adds it to savings.

She said: "Sometimes I use it for a T.J.Maxx trip - I treat myself."

The couple share their tips and a template for the invoice on their TikTok and Instagram @wrightfamilyforever

Example invoice

Small annoyance - $5
Toothpaste left out
Shirt left out

Moderate annoyance - $10- $20
Dishes left out
Trash not taken out

Major offence - $25 - $30
Not switching car sears