The discussion of money, children, employment etc. should be discussed long before the wedding takes place. Unfortunately, the blissful couple is often caught up in planning their wedding and viewing life through rose colored glasses.

Mature and intelligent persons do not walk into a marriage blindly! … It’s amazing! …Individuals interested in purchasing a home or a car will do mountains of research before making a purchase not so before the wedding.

There are important questions and information that should be known to both parties. You should know your partners credit history. Are there any outstanding loans? What is your partners spending style? Does your partner have a respect for money? These are important to know because they can later cause marital problems.

The best financial advice I was given as a young newlywed (all those years ago), I didn’t take and boy am I sorry now!

I worked at a bank and a loan officer there told me that since both of us worked, we should take my paycheck and bank it. Her theory was - attempt to live on one salary and adapt your lifestyle from there.  You can always increase your standard of living with that extra money you’re earning/saving, but the minute you rely on both salaries to pay the bills, it’s doubtful you will ever go back.

I know that today’s world is different and two salary earners have become the norm and often a necessity, but as a newlywed you have the perfect opportunity to set your financial path.  The saying goes, "you spend what you earn", but if you put as much of one paycheck aside as you can instead of figuring it into your monthly budget, perhaps you’ll find that you might have to do without one or two things and take a smaller apt./home, but your overall financial health will be more robust and look how far ahead you’ll be in only a few years! Oh, hindsight is 20/20…