It took Paul and I an abnormally long time to finally get a joint bank account. Maybe this is one downside to the whole living together before marriage thing – I wouldn’t recommend combining your finances before having a formal (erm, legal) commitment. So when it came time to get married, we were already settled into a routine of paying rent and bills. Making the change to one bank account seemed like a pretty good idea, but we just never got around to it until six months ago.
When we finally got to the bank and combined our assets, debt, and …read more

While caught up in my endless addictive reading mode on one of my favorite message boards, I stumbled on a discussion about a blended family who is struggling over family and financial issues.
A few facts:

The son lives with the father and stepmom.
Stepmom has child who is 18 and lives with father.
Husband manages household finances in one account.
Wife is told they are too broke and can’t give her son money for car repairs
Husband spends a great deal on his child’s sports activities
The couple have a small toddler together

Given that set of circumstances above, what do you think would be …read more

Did you know that showing stress or fighting in front of your kids can actually lower their immune system capabilities and cause physiological side effects? With the economy in a sad state of affairs, gas prices soaring toward that dreaded five dollar per gallon mark and so many home owners being foreclosed on, there is a lot of potential for marital tension and individual stress. It is common knowledge that stress about finances is the number one reason for divorce. Are you letting your own financial stress or other such issues, ruin marital bliss and cause anxiety? If so, do …read more