barbaral@tekig1.UUCP (09/16/83)
Thanks for your responses. Here is a summary of the major ideas people
wrote me about.
GETTING THE BILLS PAID
1. Pool all money.
2. Each person contributes a certain amount of money to a central
pool. The amounts often reflect a salary difference. The
remaining money is for personal spending.
3. Each person is responsible for different expenses. (e.g. one has
the housepayment and electric bill, the other has the food bill, etc.)
Remaining money is for personal spending.
PERSONAL SPENDING MONEY
1. Some couples reported that they don't have any money left after paying
bills.
2. The majority thought it was important for each person to have a
certain amount of personal spending money which did not have to
be accounted for. This was sometimes a fixed amount, and sometimes
what was left over after paying bills. Sometimes the amount was the
same for each person, other times, the amounts reflected a salary
difference.
3. Some couples felt they know each other"s feelings well enough not to
need individual spending money.
ACCOUNTS
1. Some people liked a joint checking account. It eliminates having
several accounts to keep track of and balance. It also avoids
paying service charges on various accounts.
2. Others did not like joint accounts because neither person knew what
the balance was at any given time. Service charges cna be avoided
at certain banks by keeping a minimum balance in the account.
GENERAL TIPS
1. Talk about it if your present plan isn't working out. Don't just
sit on it and let the tension build up.
2. Be flexible, if it isn't working out, change plans. Many responses
reported that they had changed plans when the first method of doing
things didn't work out, or when major transitions took place (i.e.
was a student, now is working).
3. Most couples discuss major purchases first.
Thanks again for all of your replies.