My Husband Loses Money on Stocks-And I Don’t Mind

My husband loves to play the stock market. He picks what he considers to be up-and-coming companies that few people have heard of yet, or undervalued blue chips, and buys up their shares. As he puts it, he likes feeling like he has an “ownership stake” in companies.

Sometimes, his strategy pays off. His initial investment of $5,900 more than doubled between 2005 and 2007. He bought Apple at $65 a share and watched it climb to $190. The start-up 24/7 RealMedia doubled and he sold it before it plunged. His oil companies enjoyed record profits. But he often loses big, too…

6 Steps to a Financially Successful Relationship

Money is a reliable source of tension in relationships, in both married couples and those not yet in wedded bliss. Karin Mizgala wrote an article in the Canadian Financial Post with suggestions about how couples can ward off money problems. She says:

While talking about money can be often be more difficult and emotionally charged than talking about sex, religion or politics, a simple conversation about money can save you a lot of tension and resentments throughout married life.

Below, we’ve expanded on Karin’s tips and come up with six steps to ensuring a financially successful union. Are you financially compatible?

1. Each person makes a list of their expenses. This includes regular monthly costs, like rent, groceries and the gym; major purchases you hope to make, say, a new car or flat screen TV; occasional expenses like clothing, restaurants and iced lattes; and a bit of padding for expenses you can’t account for.

5 Questions to Ask Before Relocating for Love

Michelle did it for Barack. Brad does it at least twice a year for Angelina. And thousands of non-famous people do it everyday for the people they love. We’re talking about relocating, and in these economically volatile times, a lot of people are doing it for the sake of work or a lower cost of living. But before you pick up, say goodbye to everyone you know, and move across the world for your partner, be sure to ask yourself and him (or her) some very important questions. Read: How To Make Long-Distance Love Work

1. How long will this relocation last? There’s a big difference between living in Florence for three months (romantic!) and moving to Sheboygan Falls indefinitely (quite possibly a tad less romantic). Consider what kind of trip this will be and be honest about yourself about what you and your relationship can handle. Scenarios with a light at the end of the tunnel often go more smoothly than those that go on forever, but every situation is, of course, different…

Love to Spend? Your Best Match Should, Too

We’ve all heard (and perhaps lived by) the motto: opposites attract. Maybe we’ve only leaned on this old cliche in order to quiet naysayers and excuse an illogical attraction to somebody so obviously wrong. Opposites Attract When It Comes To Spending Money

A recent study by the University of Michigan proves (once again) that when it comes to spending and saving, those with a strong inclination to either financial style end up attracted to their opposite. Out of a pool of 1,000 married and unmarried adults, the researcher found this attraction has roots in the individual’s discomfort in his/her own ways. In other words, spendthrifts who feel extreme guilt for their extravagant ways tend to be attracted penny pinchers. A wild shopper who beats herself up for collecting racks of pricey shoes may find solace in the coupon-cutting mate who rationalizes holes in his sneakers in lieu of a heftier savings account…

7 Tips for Living with the Unemployed

The economy is supposedly in recovery, but layoffs are still prominent in virtually every industry. Many more people than usual can relate to a phenomenon usually restricted to the over-60 set: living with an unemployed spouse.

While being laid off and entering into retirement are far from the same, they both often leave one half of a couple with extra time on their hands, and plenty of pent-up energy that their significant other, coming home after a long day at work, can’t handle.Read: 4 Reasons To Date The Unemployed

WSJ.com recently wrote an article that shared a few words of wisdom on how to deal with this situation. Here are a few of their tips, plus some of our own…

Dating on a Dime

Let’s face it: The economy may be improving, but blast that lagging economic indicator—unemployment is around to stay, at least for a little bit. And while you may have plenty of time on your hands, the reality is that, more likely than not, your pockets will be a little bit emptier than desired.

Never fear, necessity is the mother of invention! And there are plenty of ways you can save money on a date (without looking like a cheap skate). Clever, low-cost date ideas will get you out and about in the world with your sweetheart and allow you to get to know each other better than any fancy-schmancy dinner could ever facilitate…

Cheap Date: Blog with your Sweetie

Hey hey. Good news. Over at the New York Times, super sourpuss Paul Krugman thinks the economy may have cratered. Mr. Brightside warns that before we all buy jet skis and charter flights to Monaco to realize things are still grim. Saving more and spending less is a pretty good policy. But dating, mating and the whole relating shebang are tough to do without spending dough. That’s when you gotta get creative…

Avoiding Money Fights with Your Mate

It’s no surprise that the recession has caused stress in people’s lives. Pressure of any sort has a negative impact on relationships, but financial strain can cause even more of a burden between loved ones. While the recession is affecting relationships worldwide, for some reason it’s having more of a negative impact on the marriages and relationships of American’s than in other countries. Read: Surviving A Breakup During The Recession

Reuters reported that in a recent poll, 30 percent of Americans attested to the recession adding stress or strain to their relationship or marriage—if not ruining it entirely. This compared to only 23 percent of Canadians, 24 percent of French and 12 percent of Germans admitting a similar effect…

Laid-Off & Looking: Is It OK to Be a Gold-Digger?

In early January 2009, I figured it was time for my guy to meet my mom. It had been seven months and she was beginning to think that I had something to hide. (I didn’t, but before him, I’d been single for six years. I put this relationship at a speed somewhere between frozen turtle and crawling backwards.) He picked out a nice seafood restaurant and I’m pretty sure (from what I haven’t blocked out) that I spent a good deal of the evening wishing for more Tanqueray (as I was cut off… evil people in this world).

Everything was going pretty well until my mother (whom I love—with clenched teeth) brought up a very touchy topic for me. She asked him if his family would think that I’m a gold digger (or GD). She asked him that, upon their first meeting, at dinner, while I was trapped in a booth with an empty tumbler. I don’t recall the rest of the evening. I simply remember being embarrassed.

I won’t lie, I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought about how his daughter would feel about a less-than-wealthy woman (9 years her senior) hanging out with her not-close-to-broke dad…

For a Cheap Date, Get Creative

Periodically, things go really well. Property values grow at unprecedented rates. The S & P 500 grows 13% year over year. And, once in a blue moon, a single pretty good (but not great) idea will catch the right executive’s eye and move someone from the creative class into the realm of the nouveau riche (and they will buy Jet Skis for all of their friends). Then other times, the unemployment rate more than doubles inflation and the best solution anyone can think of is to tax high-earners in excess of 50% of their income. In the latter scenario, romance, entertainment and romantic entertainment* become a bit superfluous when budget time comes around. That’s when the tough get creative.