by Sasha Brown-Worsham

This seems crazy to me, but some women don’t know how much their man makes. This should NOT be a secret. These are joint budget decisions and both partners should be aware of how much there is available to spend.

1. Letting him handle all the bills: Take a few on yourself. It’s a good idea for the marriage (even husbands get overwhelmed), but also good insurance that you are still on the ball, building credit in your name, and generally staying fresh.

2. Not looking at bank statements: I cringe when I think of myself doing this. I was acting more like a daughter than a grown-up. Now I take responsibility for my spending and for his. We talk about our money and allocate funds better. We are a team and it also means we have more money since we are both keeping an eye out for strange charges and flawed billing in our account.

3. Not knowing how much he makes: This seems crazy to me, but some women don’t know how much their man makes. This should NOT be a secret. These are joint budget decisions and both partners should be aware of how much there is available to spend.

4. Not keeping some for yourself: Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a career woman who makes more than your husband, it’s a good idea to save some money for oneself. I totally don’t do this, but I need to. It’s not that I think I will get divorced, but it’s nice to not fight over his beer brewing hobby or my shoe collection. This would work well if we had separate piles of money. Some for him. Some for me. Perfect!

5. Lying about spending: Let’s grow up ladies! Lying about how much things cost is immature and we are acting like children when we do so. Own up to purchases. Better yet, pick an amount — say $200. Below that you can spend without a discussion. Above that and BOTH of you need to consult the other. Done and done!

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