Marriage & Family Archives | Page 79 of 80

Couples, Who Should Pay The Bill On A Date?

The unspoken sentiment of “Who should pay the bill?” has been a hot debate over the years. Its answer however, changes over time.

The arrival of professional women in the workforce was delayed in most countries due to being denied to universities. For instance, Cambridge University only fully embraced women students during the late 1947. Across time there was an increase of women laborers in factories (e.g., textile or machinery). The 20th century solidified women and their rights in the workforce.

The younger generations were raised to empower equality in the household. Moreover, the quality of life is getting harder as economies fail. And so, there is a great need for both men and women to work regardless of social norms.

Nowadays, it is not uncommon for women to be earning more than the men they are dating or are married with. In fact, a study by Prudential Company in 2012 showed that approximately 53% of the sample was made up of women breadwinners.

Since both sexes are relatively equals, it will be interesting to know the opinion of the population regarding who should pay the bill. A poll by Cosmopolitan investigated that. According to the poll, less than 25% of women believe that their partners should always pay for the bill. And, about 40% of women think that couples shall always split the bill.

Image Credits: TheeErin via Flickr

The results of this poll only highlight the fact that more women feel empowered to share the expenses. Although, 50% of women think splitting the bill can hurt the romance between two people.

Why would going halfsies hurt the romance between two people? Well…gender stereotypes that it may emasculate the male mate and even social norms impose against it. Furthermore, California therapist Susan Axtell says, “we’re more independent than ever but many women today still want to feel taken care of”. These irrational thoughts may hinder further verbalization of the desire to share the expense.

On the other hand, four out of five men believe that they should always pay for the bills on their dates or at least until the relationship is established.

The key to addressing this issue is to value each other’s money and to treat each other once in a while.

8 Inexpensive Home Decor Tips for Newlyweds

After the wedding, the next thing that newlyweds must invest on is the house. You may have to work harder to keep the interior look fresh. And, as you make significant changes in your house, it will have a tow on your paychecks.

But, that shall not always be the case. Here are 8 Cheap Home Decorating Ideas for you love birds…

1. FLARE WITH FRAMES

Add the “wow factor” to your side table by adding an attention-getting frame. Here are a mix of photo frames from Ebay.

Image Credits: DarrelBirkett via Flickr

2. POSH WITH PILLOWS

Whenever guests arrive, the first thing that they will see and stay longer on is the sofa. Dress up your dull sofa by adding bold printed cushions such as animal, island-floral themed or a suede pillowcase. IKEA offers a wide range of pillow cushions designs that range from $1.90 to $19.90! It is not only elegant but it is also affordable!

Image Credits: Stacie via Flickr

3. LIGHTS ARE EVERYTHING

Purchase more in lower-wattage bulbs to change a room’s mood from restful to romantic. And, if you want to take the romantic a level up…use table lamps or floor lamps to put a lights wherever you want to cuddle.

4. PUT A PAINTING ON

You may buy pop-art (Product name: KNISTA) , minimalist, and vintage looking (Product name: OLUNDA) illustrations for only $19.90 at IKEA. This will add beauty to your simple rooms.

5. REVAMP THE WALLS

One of the fastest ways to make your house extra expensive is by giving the walls a new look. Paint the walls of your living room with a higher contrast color to make it pop. Paint your kitchen orange to make the food inducing and the bedrooms purple to make it more relaxing.

Image Credits: Maegan Tintari via Flickr

6. GO GAGA FOR COLOFUL-POTTED GREENS

Having a few small plants in the kitchen will make it feel livelier. Adding a pop of color to its pots or vase will surely make your guests green with envy.

7. RUG IT UP

To quickly fix a room’s problem area, you may throw a rug on the floor. Rugs add an interest and an interesting focal point to the room. Shop around for bargain rug that fits your room.

8. WORK WITH WHAT IS AVAILABLE

One of the most efficient yet no-cost ways to redecorate is to rearrange and repurpose the things you already have. Search your house and think of the items you can change the setting in another room.

Make your kitchen chairs look new again with a little splash of spray paint and new fabric covers.

Image Credits: mattwalker69 via Flickr

These simple decor ways will not only change your house but also your lives as Husband and Wife!

Starting A New Family? Here’s 4 Tips

It’s not easy starting a new family. While you might be busy dreaming about the warm and fuzzy moments you’re going to have in the future with your spouse and your children, there are some pressing financial issues you would need to face right now. How are you going to use your money wisely on a daily basis? How are you going to safeguard your family future? Don’t fret, we’ve brought to you a few tips, so you can better manage your family finances

Keep Your New Expenses In Mind

Maybe you’ve thought of getting that new TV you’ve been eyeing for a while. Maybe you’ve saved just the amount of money needed to get that massage chair that’s always been at the back of your head. Well, did you take into account all the new expenses you’re going to have to pay for, now that you’re starting a family?

You’re no longer just earning for two, you’re going to have to provide for three, or more (if you struck the twins or triplets lottery). There’s plenty of child related expenses you’re going to have to take note of, such as baby food, diapers and immunisations. It’s best if you lay out all the expenses you would need to care for your baby, so you know for sure what you’re getting into, and to allow you to better budget for the future.

Set Up A Savings Plan

If you hadn’t already done so, you should set up a savings plan so you can better provide for your child’s future. Savings plans are more easily set up compared to investments or bonds. The basic idea is a simple automatic, monthly deduction of funds which will go into a special account, which can only be accessed once your child reaches a certain age. It might be hard to consistently set aside money on your accord, which is why a savings plan would be great as you don’t even have to think about it once you set it up. The “pain” of having less income per month isn’t felt so strongly this way.

Get Life Insurance and Medical Insurance

You always need to be prepared for the unexpected. Insurance acts as a safety net, so you and your family can be protected should anything happen to any one of you. Medical insurance is important as there are many medical issues which your child or any family might face which would require a hefty bill. The presence of a medical insurance plan would help you cover these expenses should the need arise.

Although many modern families are dual-income families, this does not mean the early demise of you or your spouse would not result in a heavy financial burden on your family. Life insurance helps your family deal with the financial needs that would be definitely be harder to attend to with the absence of you or your spouse.

Teach Your Child Good Financial Habits

Financial habits are ingrained from a young age, so make sure your child adopts the right habits that will put him in good stead for a financially stable future. Managing family finances is a team effort which involves every single member of the family, including your children. Little things such as not buying toys they don’t need, turning off the lights, and putting aside a small sum of money each day help your family make better use of your finances.

5 Tips For Couples with Joint Bank Accounts: Sharing is Saving

Being in a relationship founded by mutual trust may find it natural to create a joint bank account together.

Since you can trust your partner with everything else, why not trust him/her with your own finances?

But, managing this may be difficult especially when there are two people with different buying habits and priorities.

So, here are 5 Tips to Help Couples with Joint Bank Accounts…

1. HAVE SHARED GOALS

Maintain a joint bank account for big financial goals such as vacations, household bills, or insurance. Whatever the purpose and goals may be, be sure to make it unanimous as both of you will contribute each month.

Image Credits: Asher Isbrucker via Flickr

2. CREATE RULES BEFORE OPENING AN ACCOUNT

Have a plan of how each of you will contribute (e.g. 50-50 or 60-40). As said a while ago, discuss the goals and priorities you want to pursue in order to know where the money will go.

3. MAINTAIN YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT

Aside from the joint account, each person is entitled to have an individual account. This is because you must treat yourself or your partner personally without affecting the “household money”.

You might say that this burns the bridges of sharing, but not really. The key to having individual accounts is that both would have access to each other’s account in case of emergency so there are no secrets.

4. RECORD AND MANAGE YOUR EXPENSES TOGETHER

Communicate openly about your joint bank account and organize your expenses. Make it a habit to log on to your online banking account to reconcile all your purchases together (i.e., every week or every two weeks). Through this, you will understand how you are spending the money. Make cut backs if possible so you can save more.

5. REMAIN EQUALS

Embody your marriage vows or treat it like a merger between to companies. Everyone has an equal say and contribution to the shared account. This is why setting up rules and agreement before the processing is very important. Through this, you can keep an open eye if one overspends on something you did not agree on.

Image Credits: BK via Flickr

Ultimately, you must respect each other’s decision and communicate openly about your finances. Having a joint bank account may not be easy, but it is possible! Sharing is not only showing Care but it also Saves money.

More Women Breadwinners: When She Makes More

Evolution suggests that men are designed to hunt while women gather. Gender stereotypes also encourage females to stay at home and to take care of the off springs. But…times have changed.

More Women Work

Based on a study by Prudential Company in 2012, approximately 53% of the sample were women breadwinners while only 22% were married or living with a partner who made more than them. Furthermore, other research showed that about 70% of mothers with children aged 17 and under are in the workforce. And, those numbers are just in the United States. Global rise in dual-career bearer household have increased annually.

Image Credits: Kelly Garbato via Flickr

This fact that women are working more nowadays is something both men and women are accepting. The younger generations were raised to empower equality in the household. Moreover, the quality of life is getting harder as economies fail. And so, there is a great need for both men and women to work regardless of gender stereotypes.

Impact on Marriage When She Makes More

On of the largest impact of this contemporary shift is that it may affect the dynamics of the marriage. Psychology argues that men’s view of the self is formed by his work and his drive to achieve. If that is the case then if the wife makes more, it will make him feel far more inferior and insecure.

To avoid that, Farnoosh Torabi, the author of “When She Makes More”, suggests that most couples assume that if one makes more then that person has more responsibilities in the house, which she firmly stands against. According to Torabi, a couple must constantly make a conscious effort to ask the partner about financial decisions and share it openly with each other. Furthermore she gave these two tips: give everyone’s money a meaning, and treat each other once in a while.

Ultimate Financial Goal

The most important financial goal for women is to have enough money to raise their family, and to maintain the same lifestyle in their retirement. This is why young women need to take steps toward understanding investing. When women avoid investing young, they are losing out on the one thing that knowledge cannot buy– time.

Who makes more than whom should not be a huge matter as the couple’s combined earnings will only benefit not only the both of them but also their children. Couples shall work together and communicated openly on financial decisions in order to share the emotional responsibilities and keep the balance in order.

Image Credits: The Library of Congress via Flickr

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