Joint Checking Accounts

[420seriouscat69]

It's really not that hard. We both agree on who pays for what. We don't have shitty little gremlins running around so it's not a big effing deal.

[kso_FAN]

I think the point of people doing what works for them with good communication is a good one, but some of these instances of working with separate accounts seem really strange. Of course I'm used to joint accounts after nearly 18 years of marriage. Either of our spending habits have never been a big problem, though I think we are similar to the daves in that _FANw generally has no idea about how much we have, spend, or make either.

[yoga-like_abana]

I'm just picturing wack on his wedding anniversary grocery shopping with mrs wack and at the checkout line is like "no babe, I got this.. Its our anniversary after all"

[pissclams]

overpriced wine like kim crawford

 

it's like $15 a bottle

[420seriouscat69]

overpriced wine like kim crawford

 

it's like $15 a bottle

I don't really drink wine tho. So when I do, a Trader Joe's Pinot will suffice for my appetite. I know i'm cheap, but Svedka will last way longer and is like 3 more dollars. 

[meow meow]

overpriced wine like kim crawford

 

it's like $15 a bottle

but he bought a steak so it's all good

[420seriouscat69]

I'm just picturing wack on his wedding anniversary grocery shopping with mrs wack and at the checkout line is like "no babe, I got this.. Its our anniversary after all"

I actually do this a lot on the way home from the gym. I pick up wine and cheese and crap and bring it home. If she goes grocery shopping that week, I just have her add it to my tab when I write her a check at the beginning of the month.

[catastrophe]

I thought that was, like, a normal non Texas law

It's actually more of a "later state to the union" kinda law.  They're called community property states, and they include more than just income.

[yoga-like_abana]

I'm just picturing wack on his wedding anniversary grocery shopping with mrs wack and at the checkout line is like "no babe, I got this.. Its our anniversary after all"

I actually do this a lot on the way home from the gym. I pick up wine and cheese and crap and bring it home. If she goes grocery shopping that week, I just have her add it to my tab when I write her a check at the beginning of the month.

Love it.. these two crazy kids need a sitcom show

[catastrophe]

for the JATS how do you buy gifts and crap for your spouse? Do you tell them not to check the account for a couple of weeks because you have a surprise for them or just put it on a cc?

More of the first. Although neither of us care that much about a big reveal for surprise gifts. Up until last year it didn't even occur to me to have gifts shipped to the office instead of at home.

Especially around Christmas neither of us check the account much anyway.

[ChiComCat]

"WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO BUY THE FORMULA YOU BUY THE CHEAP FORMULA AND IT IS HURTING OUR BABY!"

Kids getting into the equation will probably force the joint account on us.

[mocat]

"but how would we surprise each other with gifts???" seems like an awfully feeble attempt at justifying not having a joint account

[420seriouscat69]

I mean, it's a real question that I brought up to Mrs. wacky, while agreeing to joining accounts.

[star seed 7]

"but how would we surprise each other with gifts???" seems like an awfully feeble attempt at justifying not having a joint account

It doesn't need justifying in the first place

[Kat Kid]

"but how would we surprise each other with gifts???" seems like an awfully feeble attempt at justifying not having a joint account

it is hilarious.

"Yes, but my wife will know how much the flowers and new gloves and hat I bought her for our Sunday walks! I will know how much she spent on my monocle and pocket watch for Christmas!"

[kso_FAN]

"but how would we surprise each other with gifts???" seems like an awfully feeble attempt at justifying not having a joint account

it is hilarious.

"Yes, but my wife will know how much the flowers and new gloves and hat I bought her for our Sunday walks! I will know how much she spent on my monocle and pocket watch for Christmas!"

 

[yoga-like_abana]

definitely don't want a joint account now.. they seem like hostile people

[wetwillie]

This is such a fascinating look into how people handle their money and relationships.

[420seriouscat69]

I've got kickball tonight, so stopping by trader joes after I workout to grab beer. I'll probably bring home some wine for her and some more chicken breasts. She brought me home steak on Sunday, but she'll owe me next time! JK!

[Mrs. Gooch]

I don't really CARE that other people have separate accounts, it is just fascinating to me. Especially, when you have kids.

In our household, I pay all the bills and do the budgeting and balance the checkbook and then if we want to make a very large purchase, we have a conversation. And for day-to-day spending we just spend whatever we want and then once in a while I tell Gooch he needs to stop spending so much and he says "OK" and stops spending so much for like a day.

OK, actually we do have 2 checking accounts, but one is for bills (all our bills) and the other is for all other spending (for both of us)....which actually we hardly pay anything out of this account except credit card payments, of course. This is more of a budgeting strategy. (Gooch probably doesn't even know we have 2 different accounts.)

[yoga-like_abana]

kinda seems like you do CARE mrs gooch

[meow meow]

this thread has been a fun read, so i'm thankful to all involved.

[Trim]

There's a best-of-all-worlds, practical solution that can be customized to work for any situation.

[yoga-like_abana]

sounds like gooch and mrs gooch are basically howard and Bernadette wolowitz

[catastrophe]

I think separate accounts in marriage bugs me mostly because the top two reasons for having them are (1) keeping certain financials / spending a secret, and (2) keeping score of his vs. hers. Both of those just seem like recipes for disaster.

I don't doubt that people make it work, but I personally would be concerned if my spouse wanted to have a separate account.