When it comes to dating and money, there are two primary camps: those who can’t put a price on love, and those who can. Hopeless romantics may argue that love is free, but the average first date costs $77, a LendingTree survey found. Americans spend hundreds of dollars on dates annually, and many say finding … Read more
It’s not exactly romantic to think about creating a prenuptial agreement when embarking on a new marriage. Planning the honeymoon, picking out the wedding cake and designing the invitations – yes, plenty of fun. Outlining the parameters of a potential separation, not so much. Read our guide to preparing your finances for marriage. For those who … Read more
“Dear Steve, Where do I begin…. Well first this question is about my boyfriend more so than me. My boyfriend just turned 34 and I am about to be 27. When I met him he had just been laid off from his sales job in 2011. He had to move out of his apartment and … Read more
An article out of Kentucky brought up a point I had not thought about, filling bankruptcy as a gay married couple. The underlying issue is that with only a handful of states recognizing gay marriage, what are gay couples to do when they want to file bankruptcy together but their marriage in New York isn’t … Read more
Dear Dollar Stretcher, My husband’s spending is starting to drive a wedge between us. I want to put money away for a vacation and our son’s college fund. But there’s never any money left at the end of the month. My husband does outside sales so he’s in a car all day. By the end … Read more
Most people approach marriage and credit with a one-for-all, all-for-one attitude. They open joint credit cards, apply for car loans as a couple, and stop building separate credit histories. After all, they have joined their lives together; why not marry their credit histories? Though the sentiment is appealing, keeping some credit accounts separate has big … Read more
From time to time, I get feedback from Couple Money readers. It’s something that I enjoy and try to respond to. This weekend I received an email from M about a situation that he noticed at work. I thought it was an excellent question and I wanted to see what youthoughtabout it. Hiding Vacation Bonus … Read more
The following guest post was contributed by JoAnneh Nagler who is a debt-free living coach, artist and author. She recently completed her new book The Debt-Free Spending Plan which will be available in preview copies in the fall of 2011. If you would like to contribute a guest post, click here. Debt will kill your … Read more
Yesterday, I sat down over snacks with my friend Ann, my personal coupon guru, to talk couponing. In the very early days of us meeting I overheard her telling a friend, “I’ve got to get home and organize my coupons for tomorrow!” Intrigued, I jumped in the conversation and asked “what for?” She explained that … Read more
photo © 2010 Jaci Berkopec | more info (via: Wylio)A new study by the National Endowment for Financial Education and Forbes says 1 in 3 couples who have combined their finances, admit they have been keeping financial secrets from the other. The leading money crimes were hiding cash, minor purchases and bills. Meanwhile, a significant … Read more
Hi, this is Steve Rhode. I’m a consumer debt expert and some people even call me the get out of debt guy. If you are looking for me you can find me on Twitter @GetOutOfDebtGuy and on the web at GetOutofDebt.org. This time we are going to be talking about a serious subject, fighting about … Read more
All gays and lesbians, whether coupled or not, should consider what will happen if they become seriously ill or suffer a medical emergency. Ask yourself several questions. Who do you want to have authority to act for you if you are incapacitated and cannot make your own health care decisions? Who do you want to … Read more
If you’re going through a divorce, you’re probably exhausted by the emotional upheaval and the day-to-day details of carving out a new, separate life. Separation when you or your spouse is a member of the military can pose special concerns, like division of military pensions or survivor benefits. One thing that’s easily overlooked — or … Read more
So you’re engaged. Or thinking about it. If you’re really serious about spending the rest of your life with another person, it’s time to get some of the tougher issues out in the open. Somewhere near the top of your list should be MONEY. Conflicts about money issues can stop a relationship before it has … Read more
Congratulations! You’ve met the man or woman of your dreams and have moved in together or are planning the big move. You’re probably in the “ain’t love grand” stage, and we’d prefer not to burst your bubble. But how about a dose of realism, especially about money? When you live with someone, you and your … Read more