Does your spouse share your views on spending?
Does your spouse share your views on spending?
Does your spouse or significant other share your views on spending money? Are you compatible in terms of your level of being frugal?
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Yes.
Chaz |
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“Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." Woody Allen |
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http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Yes.
Chaz |
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“Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." Woody Allen |
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http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
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For the most part, yes. We are both careful with how we spend money, though we do have our differences, of course. It's a second marriage, so we have kept most of our funds separate. He has far more than I do, and is frugal with everything except cars. I'm the take care of it and drive it forever type of person; he is the trade and buy something new and different every three years (it's his only vice, and he can afford it, but I view it as a waste of $$). I enjoy going out to a nice lunch with friends, and he views any lunch over $4.00 as a waste of money! :roll:
Neither of us believe in debt, and both of us believe in conservative investing.
Neither of us believe in debt, and both of us believe in conservative investing.
Yes, that is one good reason we have survived 50 years together. Neither overspends on anything. Neither of us would spend for anything personal over $100 without discussing first....except for gifts for each other, we often overspend on gifts where we would not spend on ourselves.
Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered you will never grow. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
I'm a bigger spender than my spouse. I've got a couple expensive hobbies. My wife is a big saver and she doesn't like to shop. Neither of us spends money on fancy cars or big houses though.
In my previous marriage I was with someone who was a big shopper and incredibly wasteful. Imagine a closet where most of the clothes still have tags on them. That didn't work out too well.
In my previous marriage I was with someone who was a big shopper and incredibly wasteful. Imagine a closet where most of the clothes still have tags on them. That didn't work out too well.
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- Delayed Gratification
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- fishnskiguy
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- fundtalker123
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Ah, those pbh (pb+honey) sandwiches of apartments past. Broke and young, innocently so, had its pleasures. Now, in my sixties, if my wife is not about during lunch time, the pbh sandwich is still a mainstay. Except the pb and h, on whole wheat bread, are all organic, overpriced, and purchased at Whole Foods.My spouse is more frugal than I by far. If every decision were his, we would be still living in an apt and eating pbj sandwiches and ramen noodles every day.
Oh. We would probably say that I am the cheaper of the two. Friends seem surprised when they learn that.
Re: Does your spouse share your views on spending?
mptfan wrote:Does your spouse or significant other share your views on spending money? Are you compatible in terms of your level of being frugal?
By words, Yes Actions, No
I would not say that either of us are really frugal. We spend & handle money differently; therefore, we maintain separate accounts.
I'm in a similar situation, I'm very frugal and my wife is not. However, she does maximize her 401K and she has a good income, so it works out fine.edge wrote:My wife and I do not see eye to eye but she keeps her spending within reason, maxes out all her retirement accounts, and she makes her own money anyhow.
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We learn by living long enough. When we met, my ex husband was a profligate spender and I have always been a saver. I always chuckle whenever people generalize about women being the shoppers in the relationship - we were quite the opposite.
He seemed excited by the prospects of finally living debt free and we did so and did well for several years, until his gambling itch kicked in during a midlife crisis.
It sunk my marriage. Thankfully, I saved my half of the ship before it went down.
As I said, lesson learned.
BFG
He seemed excited by the prospects of finally living debt free and we did so and did well for several years, until his gambling itch kicked in during a midlife crisis.
It sunk my marriage. Thankfully, I saved my half of the ship before it went down.
As I said, lesson learned.
BFG
I always think of "The Newlyweds" when this subject comes up. Nick Lachy said in one episode, "I have a five year plan." Concerning his wife's spending habits.
When we met she was renting a condo on Michigan Ave, driving a 5 month old car she purchased new, had 15K in credit card debt, and $0 in retirement savings.
Five years later, she still has that car, no credit card debt, $50k in retirement savings, and clips coupons. I turned my little spender into a little saver. Since her student loans are at a fixed 1.8%, we'll have those for a LONG time.
She's coming around.
When we met she was renting a condo on Michigan Ave, driving a 5 month old car she purchased new, had 15K in credit card debt, and $0 in retirement savings.
Five years later, she still has that car, no credit card debt, $50k in retirement savings, and clips coupons. I turned my little spender into a little saver. Since her student loans are at a fixed 1.8%, we'll have those for a LONG time.
She's coming around.
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“The most powerful force in the Universe is compound interest.” -Albert Einstein
- JupiterJones
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I picked "yes", but really my answer is more like "sorta".
She does like to spend money on stuff that I just don't see the point of spending a lot of money on (clothes, shoes, fancy dishes and tableware for those theoretical times when we "have people over").
But then again, I spend money on stuff that she probably doesn't see much of a point of spending money on (computers, A/V stuff, various nerdy collectibles). I guess that makes us even, eh?
The main thing is that we both agree not to buy things we can't afford. We both drive paid-off cars. Neither of us keeps revolving credit card debt. We agree that saving and investing is an important priority for our money.
And she doesn't mind when I park four blocks away in some creepy alley to avoid having to pay to park downtown.
I think I have it pretty good.
JJ
She does like to spend money on stuff that I just don't see the point of spending a lot of money on (clothes, shoes, fancy dishes and tableware for those theoretical times when we "have people over").
But then again, I spend money on stuff that she probably doesn't see much of a point of spending money on (computers, A/V stuff, various nerdy collectibles). I guess that makes us even, eh?
The main thing is that we both agree not to buy things we can't afford. We both drive paid-off cars. Neither of us keeps revolving credit card debt. We agree that saving and investing is an important priority for our money.
And she doesn't mind when I park four blocks away in some creepy alley to avoid having to pay to park downtown.
I think I have it pretty good.
JJ
"Stay on target! Stay on target!"
Speaking purely of spending, the answer is No.
We agree 100% on certain fundamentals as far as saving for retirement, investing, and appropriate use of credit. We agree 100% on the general principle of living within our means.
Where we differ is what to do with the money leftover at the end of the day when the retirement accounts are filled, the bills are paid and we have some money leftover. We have our own separate accounts for our fun/discretionary money. She tends not to spend that money on luxuries or unnecessary items. I'm more of the opinion that I work very hard to have some cash left at the end of the day to spend on whatever I want, and I'll be damned if I'm going to hoard it.
We agree 100% on certain fundamentals as far as saving for retirement, investing, and appropriate use of credit. We agree 100% on the general principle of living within our means.
Where we differ is what to do with the money leftover at the end of the day when the retirement accounts are filled, the bills are paid and we have some money leftover. We have our own separate accounts for our fun/discretionary money. She tends not to spend that money on luxuries or unnecessary items. I'm more of the opinion that I work very hard to have some cash left at the end of the day to spend on whatever I want, and I'll be damned if I'm going to hoard it.
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- Dan Moroboshi
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My partner (of 1 year) and I entered our relationship from very different life styles. She was raised in an upper middle class family and was married to a multi millionaire. I come from a very poor family and before my wife died we lived below our income level.
Neither my partner nor I are money wasters or big spenders, we clip coupons and buy things when they are on sale. Her car is a 96' BMW bought new and last year I traded my 2000 Camry for a 2008 Sienna (bought for cash).
Our biggest expenses are gifts that we buy for each other and dining out 2-3 times a week at reasonably priced restaurants. We literally have "everything" we feel that we need or want.
We are both savers and conservative investors.
Neither my partner nor I are money wasters or big spenders, we clip coupons and buy things when they are on sale. Her car is a 96' BMW bought new and last year I traded my 2000 Camry for a 2008 Sienna (bought for cash).
Our biggest expenses are gifts that we buy for each other and dining out 2-3 times a week at reasonably priced restaurants. We literally have "everything" we feel that we need or want.
We are both savers and conservative investors.
Yes, we wouldn't be married if she and I didn't have the same type of spending habits. I couldn't live with a spender. It would drive me nuts. I don't see how people spend as much money as they do, so I know I wouldn't be able to understand/accept my wife doing it.
This is also something that I talked about early in a relationship, so she knew where I stood, and we are both the same. Save save save, and then have 'more' fun later on in life.
Burr
This is also something that I talked about early in a relationship, so she knew where I stood, and we are both the same. Save save save, and then have 'more' fun later on in life.
Burr
I don't have a spouse (or significant other of any kind), but I would want someone who is roughly on the same page as me. For someone to be on the extreme ends of the spectrum (blows every dime they have, or lives like a total cheapskate/miser killjoy despite a good income) would probably be a deal-breaker to me.
My soon-to-be and I are very much on the same page. She's always been frugal...living off a scholarship stipend every month at a private school in a large city will make you learn to stretch your dollar.
She helps me to eat at home more, and I help her with her retirement accounts. We don't spend large amounts of money without talking about it first. This was critical in determining if we could spend a lifetime together.
She helps me to eat at home more, and I help her with her retirement accounts. We don't spend large amounts of money without talking about it first. This was critical in determining if we could spend a lifetime together.
Yes. "He" is also an engineer. So when someone (like me) wants a new PC, he says to get him one, too. BTW be sure to get a good one.
I think it's not so much spending habits, but we both earn a decent salary. There's no need to ask each other's permission when it comes to buying "wants".
We both tend to purchase items based on quality, price is secondary (within reason).
I think it's not so much spending habits, but we both earn a decent salary. There's no need to ask each other's permission when it comes to buying "wants".
We both tend to purchase items based on quality, price is secondary (within reason).