Joint Budget Planning - Help?!

Earlier in the week, I wrote about the enlightening conversation that Jordan and I had about how we are managing our money.  We've taken a stab at coming up with a realistic joint budget.  We've decided that we'll work on an ideal budget (ie. 10% of income to RRSPs) once my student loan is paid off and we are no longer using our credit cards.

The idea behind the joint budget, is utilizing our joint chequing account for more than just bills.  We want to streamline everything that is coming in and coming out.  We want to eliminate any uncessary stressors.

First we listed our net income after taxes and deductions. We are planning to have both our pay cheques deposited into the same joint account.

Next we listed all of our non-negotiables. Although sometimes the amounts will vary (ie. utilities and horse board in the winter).  These are expenses that are going to be there no matter what.  This plan includes my our debt repayment plan of having the student loan paid off by December.

Next we listed all of our variable expenses.  Each column that is highlighed in yellow would have it's own ING (or other) account.  Every other cent would live in the joint account. 

The Planning Spending money is key here.  We would like to get a joint credit card and this sum of money would be earmarked to pay it off each month.  We figure that this will be the best way to streamline joint expenses and track exactly what we're spending at the same time. We would also buy our groceries, gas and anything else that was joint with this credit card.  That way, we'd know exactly what we were spending.  The c/c limit would be set based on what all those expenses add up to be each month.  

With this plan we've set our allowances at $400/month and there is still about $200 left over. What to the allowances cover?

• Our cell phone bills (mines around $50 Jordan's is around $90)
• Our World of Warcraft subscriptions (These are about $15/each)
• Eating out at work (Jordan's spends about $100/month I spend closer to $50)
• Clothes for ourselves (untracked - no clue)

After we look at what we would be personally responsible for, Jordan would have about $200 left over and I  would have about $250-$300.  I'm not sure that it's enough money to have some left over to save for gifts we may want to purchase for each other (ie. Christmas, Birthdays, etc.).  Do you think it is?

The idea behind this post is that it's a place to start. Nothing is set in stone just yet.  We'd really like your opinions/help to refine this budget.  It's important that we both feel like we are no longer strangled by limitations but freed with a solid plan.  It needs to be easy/simple.

So, please, feel free to offer suggestions or ask questions.  We would both really love the help.