Help! My wife can't handle money
She's great in so many ways. But when it comes to the green stuff, well, she just doesn't get it.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Okay I love my wife. But every couple has issues, particularly when money is involved. No doubt the specific issues vary from couple to couple. But I have a feeling there might be some sources of friction that are common to many in the state of matrimonial bliss. Therefore, in the name of developing a better understanding of which money matters trigger marital disharmony, I'm laying out my top gripes. 'I had no idea I spent that much'
She's got to be kidding, right? I mean, she was there when she spent it. She signed the credit slip or handed over the debit card, right? Yet here comes the bill. And inevitably there is a long line of charges that add up to one big, whopping number. Not that I'm objecting to the purchases... that's another issue. I'm objecting to getting blindsided at the end of the month. And it happens all the time. Record keeping
A big step to resolving Item One would be to keep track of receipts. But no. They get stuffed and crammed into all sorts of nooks and crannies in the change purse, wallet, handbag or whatever she happened to be carrying that shopping trip. She has repeatedly promised to be better about handing them over to me. But it usually doesn't happen. And I don't ask for them. That's a fight, guaranteed. The time is always wrong. On those rare occasions I do get a receipt, it's usually wadded and crumpled and hard to read. I can't complain too much about that, since mine are usually in a similar condition. But, then, mine are from this year. It's a credit limit, not a dare
Enough said. 'I can't find my credit card'
No Wes Craven horror flick or Stephen King novel can come close to the bone chilling terror of those words. Sure, I've lost a credit card. It happens to the best of us. But we usually know for certain, because there is a set place the credit card should be: right side of wallet, third slot down. Not her. When a card goes missing, it's a question whether the card is actually in someone else's hands or simply buried in paper in some obscure part of the pocketbook. So while I'm tearing up the Internet looking for evidence of card theft, she's conducting accessory archaeology and telling me, "Now, don't get upset." Random acts of spending
Me: "Honey, did you take a check out of the checkbook?" Her: "Oh yes, I meant to tell you." "Why didn't you log it?" "I was in a hurry. It was for the exterminator." "Okay. How much was it." "Something like $135. $125? No, no...$135. That's right. The $125 was for the other thing. I have the receipt around somewhere." There are other money-related things. Not every HGTV project is worthwhile. Spending hours looking for a bargain isn't always cost-effective. Delivered food costs more...but the editor said I had to stop at five. And I do love my wife. See the woman's point of view: Help! My husband can't handle money Also: MONEY magazine's exclusive survey of why couples fight and will your arguing lead to divorce? ____________________ Got gripes with how money is handled in your household? E-mail us at yourhome@money.com. |
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