Love and Money
Posted on February 5th, 2008 – 11:52 AMBy Kara McGuire
Valentine’s Day is around the corner, which means that I’m getting loads of love and money-related pitches.
I’ve written about my marriage and money in the past. And while we’re pretty compatible, one of these exchanges will inevitably creep into our life from time to time:
Scene: The McGuire’s household on Saturday.
Starring: The McGuires
Him: “I got the car washed.”
Me: “Good. You used the coupon?”
Him: “Yeah, but it was still $28 bucks.”
Me: [I can’t print my reaction on this blog. That led into a rant about coupons and using them only if they save money and use your brain and other rudeness on my part.]
Him: “I know how you get when I don’t use the coupons.” (there is some truth to that)
Me: [digging furiously through the pile of receipts he left on the counter to see proof of the $28 car wash.]
Him: [Slamming the door as he went to return the cheap movies before noon so we don’t spend an extra $2.00.]
Me: [finding the coupon and noticing that he only spent $18 on the car wash, which is still a lot, but oddly I am not nearly as upset by that sum– it was a thorough car wash, after all]. “It was only $18 dollars. Hurry back. Pizza’s in the oven,” I yelled.
Yes, living with a cheapskate is that annoying. But I try my hardest to repress this urge to nickel and dime our finances. I think because we speak openly about money and because our money values are aligned, we don’t fight much about money.
How about you? What annoying financial behaviors do you possess (come on, be honest!)? What drives you nutty about your partner?
Then tomorrow, I’ll share the results of several love and loot surveys that have been peppering my in-box.
4 Responses to "Love and Money"
I hear you on the coupon thing. I’ve taken to taping the dry cleaner coupons from the back of the Rainbow receipt to the dry cleaning laundry basket so my husband will remember to use them. I’ve also started leaving my little coupon organizer in my trunk so in case I get the urge to get the car washed, or buy subway for dinner, I have all the coupons I need with me. How sad is that? That said, it really adds up when I use coupons for purchases I have to make anyway.
I am a guy who is really into coupons. Once I got the hang of them, I have found it intolerable to go buy anything without first checking to see whether there are any coupons. It is not unusual in our household these days to pay 20% of our grocery bills with coupons clipped from Sunday ads and other mail-ins. Only a couple of years ago I had no idea what a big difference clipping coupons could make, and as a result, forewent a lot of savings. Now I am a coupon (male) dog!
Ha! That totally sounds like every “conversation” I have with my husband. I’m kind of insane and the poor guy just can’t win.
My husband and I are polar money opposites. I hoard and save and am super cheap. He spends and shrugs and says ‘You only live once!’ Luckily he makes twice as much as me so we’re both able to afford to put some aside and he can splurge and still have a bit left over to spend on me. 
