Right now, I'm listening to a segment on NPR entitled Who Controls the Money in Your Household? talking about how people who share a household share money. The thought of sharing money terrifies me! I am so anal about my money that I loathe cash, because it's difficult to track. I keep my finances on QuickBooks, so at any time, I know how much I have and how much I owe and if I'm over or under budget. Admirable qualities for your accountant, but do you really want to live with someone like that?
I'm sure there are ways that even an anal rententive control freak like myself could learn to share. The segment emphasized that communication is the key to all plans for a household's finances. And then they had all these stories about how spouses hid their spending from each other. It seems to me that if you have to hide what you're spending, you are either spending too much or your spouse is trying to exert too much control over you. Or you're buying presents.
Sometimes I think too much about things that don't apply to me. I've also been worrying about having to buy new clothes if I lose weight.
posted by Amanda @ 2:20 PM
6 Antiphon:
Josh and I don't really share money we just try to split the bills evenly. My parents never shared money, but I don't know that they are a good example. I always figured if I ended up in a position where I had to share money I would have one account that was my own and a shared account for shared expenses. I am not a control freak by any means, but I like to be independent.
That's what belts are for. I could really use a new one because I have had it since I was a freshmen. The great thing is the belt is supposed to look worn, and I can tell where I was wearing it before I gained the working-girl-weight so I can gauge my progress.
Hmm, yes. Money is a tough one. Jim and I still just pay our own bills as we have two homes.
No, I don't know how we'll combo our finances. Any other input from your show you listened to?
Ps: buying clothes is the reward! And my word verification is the longest one EVER!
qpywgmbn!
It took a few years for Dwayne and me to start a joint account. Once we did, we would just transfer in whatever amount was needed to cover our own portion of the bills and keep the rest separate. These days, with the mortgage and me only working part time, ALL of our money goes to bills. We still have separate accounts, but very little is put in them.
I like the system we have. Of course, since I'm the one who pays the bills and who tells Dwayne when he's allowed to spend extra money, I'm also the one with most of the control.
The trick is... get together with a generous person who makes at least twice as much as you do. ;]
Nah, I get it. It really can be tough to share money.
I heard the same report, and all I could think was, "Man, I would love to be married so someone could take care of the money for me." I'm so bad with money that I don't even have a bank account; I have my check direct deposited into my aunt's account, and she gives me my money when I ask for it. I know that's pretty pathetic coming from a 33-year-old woman, but it's better than being constantly overdrawn like I used to be.
That said, I'm not looking forward to sharing a bed should I ever get married. I have a hard enough time with the cats touching me when I sleep, because I get all sweaty. I sure don't want a full-grown man making me all sweaty. Well, I do, but not when I'm trying to sleep. I figure I'll have to have a Flintstone-type bedroom set up.
H and I get around this by putting a pre-agreed amount in a joint account for bills and whatnot. We don't split evenly; it's based on who earns what, so it's a percentage split. Then, provided we don't go mad, what's left is in our own personal accounts to spend how we like.
It's worked very well for us. Having said that, it's nice when you both have similar attitudes to money (particularly when it comes to saving some for a rainy day).
Post a Comment
<< Home