[FireFly]

My husband and I have a joint account and we've had to have some serious discussions about spending but I think we're in a good place now.



The problems arose when it was discovered that we each have a different system of "financial math". For example, if something was $9.50, I would say it was $10, he would say it was $9. Not so big a deal on small things but the problem grew as the dollar value grew. It came to a head when he hit a deer and decided he needed a new bumper for his truck that he told me was on sale for $1100. I didn't apply "husband math" to the equation. The bumper was actually closer to $1400 with taxes and had to be picked up in Edmonton. So his $1100 bumper cost us over $1500.



The key thing is honesty. We no longer have that issue because when he wants to spend money, now he qualifies "Wife math" or "Husband math" and corrects himself. As I'm the one who actually pays the bills, I need to know what sort of math he's using. I would much rather you exaggerate your expenses and wind up in the black at the end of the month than underestimate your expenses and have to dip into savings to cover it.