Aug 26, 2009

For Richer or Poorer :o)

I would absolutely have to say that I am richer today, on multiple levels, than I was before :o)

We have all heard the jokes, "there were checks left in the checkbook," or "they accepted the card."

For me, it was not a joke, but a reality. The above mentality was what, 10 years ago, caused me to be on the verge of bankruptcy. I was in a very unfulfilled marriage and was very unhappy, and the money issues was a big part of the picture. You see, the harder I worked, the faster it was spent. It was a death spiral.

Fast forward to today. Beth and I are by no means frugal, but we are definitely more on the tightwad side of the fence, and of the same mindset. If we do not have the cash in the bank, then we are not going to buy, period! Today, our only debt is our primary mortgage, and we are paying that off at a 20 year versus 30 year clip. Together, we rock :o)

If you wondered what inspired the entry, take a look below, and if you want more detail, click the link.

If you think you butt heads often with your spouse or significant other when it comes to money matters, you're probably not imagining it. Science has confirmed what many people have already suspected: When it comes to viewpoints on spending and saving, opposites really do attract.
Unfortunately, this difference in outlook can lead to marital friction (if you've ever been on either side of a tiff resulting from an ill-planned impulse purchase, you already know this). Here's what the studies found: Spendthrifts and tightwads (yes, those were the actual terms used by the researchers) tend to gravitate toward partners on the opposite side of the spend-save spectrum.
All too often, though, the result of this discrepancy is marital strife. It's familiar sitcom fodder, whether the depiction is of a shoe-loving housewife or a husband with a penchant for pricey power tools. In real life, though, not seeing eye to eye on money is cited as a major cause of friction and even divorce among couples.

3 comments:

  1. Doug & I do as you do, if we can't pay cash we don't get it. Credit card debt can wipe a person out before they know what hit them.

    You've done well Ken, overcoming the situation you were once in. Yes...you & Beth do rock together! :)

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  2. I think I've read that financial troubles and disagreements are the number one cause of divorce, but I could be wrong. I know it's right up there.

    I'm glad we've been able to work together as a team, and your financial planning is topnotch! Once a person is set in their ways, in that credit card mentality, it's pretty hard to break that habit. Probably still rackin' up the debt....

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  3. A comment from Ada on Ken's Facebook page:

    Great entry Ken!
    Michael and I are opposites. He's a saver and I'm a spender. What keeps us in check? Moderation and mutual respect. I like to be "rewarded" so he backs up because he knows I won't abuse it. He likes to save for that proverbial rainy day so I look and don't touch because I know that he's looking out for our
    future.

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