The two
biggest causes of marital disputes are in-laws and finances.
Since you cannot choose the members of your family, let's
look at managing your money.
The first decision you must make is whether to pool your
money for: (a) all expenses, (b) living expenses, or (c) not
at all. For budgeting purposes, however, you should base
your plans on your combined monthly income after taxes.
The next step is to create two lists and estimate the
expenses under each.
The two lists:
1. Fixed expenses. Examples: Rent/mortgage. Utilities. Loan
payments. Insurance. Tuitions.
If the total monthly budget for these items exceeds your
monthly income you can pare things down by cutting back on
entertainment, dining out and gift expenses.
Unless you deal with the budget at the start, money worries
will cause friction later. Then stick to it.
