Is it weird to have separate checking accounts when you are married?

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: teckmaster
we have a joint checking account and I have my own account. We also have a joint savings and I also have my own. We spend money two different ways too, and this way I pay for what I buy.

I guess I could see it working if you actually had enough money to buy toys for yourself. With 3 kids and a new house, I have zero disposable income.

 

[fastz28]

Joint account where 90% of our income goes into. Each keep separate account where 10% goes into. Your percentage may vary. 🙂

 

[Maverick]

This is a good thread. My gf and I have been discussing this a lot recently. I'm a big spender and she's very conservative with her money. So we'll probably go the separate checking account way just to avoid fights over stupid little purchases.

 

[Linflas]

We have two joint accounts. One is the one we write checks against etc and the other is strictly for ATM/Cash credit card use. I just transfer cash into it from the main joint account when needed. Both pay checks just get deposited into the main joint account.

 

[blackdogdeek]

i have a checking account that i had before we got married.

my wife has a checking account that she had before we got married.

we have a joint account that all our money goes into since we got married. it is from this account that we pay all our current bills and make our purchases.

 

[BlamoHammer]

My girlfriend and I have a joint account to which we both transfer money for the necessities (rent, food, bills, etc). Then we have our own accounts where we keep the rest.

 

[KK]

I'm married and just have one joint account for the misses and I. I'm kinda like the thought of having 2 personal accounts also. I fuss at her for spending money, but I know I'm just as guilty as her, but normally I buy things that are great deals. If we separated them, and put alittle in each one, that probably would work. So would it just be a fixed dollar amount going into the personal accounts even though I bring home more? I could probably live with that. Food, I guess, would come out of the joint account. Clothing would be individualized. Kids supplies, joint. Anything else?

KK

 

[phantom309]

Wife and I make about the same. Individual checking, joint savings. We are both reasonably good with money and we live well within our means, so who-paid-for-what has never really been an issue for us.

 

[GrumpyMan]

If I ever get married again I will have separate accounts for sure. I never try to make the same mistake twice. Now a joint savings, hmmm........let me get back to you on that one.

 

[rgwalt]

My parents have separate accounts, so I don't think it is weird either way you do it. It seems strange that when you buy your spouse a gift, you are using money that belongs to both of you. It would be like buying myself a gift...

R

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: rgwalt
My parents have separate accounts, so I don't think it is weird either way you do it. It seems strange that when you buy your spouse a gift, you are using money that belongs to both of you. It would be like buying myself a gift...

R

Yeah, that does feel a little weird. But being married, we share everything. Actually, for christmas, we are going to buy a digicam. Kind of like we are both giving it to each other and ourselves.

Originally posted by: KK
So would it just be a fixed dollar amount going into the personal accounts even though I bring home more?
KK

lol, It better be unless you want to sleep on the couch.

Since I bring home all of our income, I would have to decide how much to pay my wife for taking care of the kids and the house. Nothing good could ever come of that discussion.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Splitting everything down the middle just seems like.....you are roomates, not husband and wife. Both of our paychecks are deposited into a single account. All bills are paid out of it. I get an "allowance" every paycheck that is a percentage of my pay. She gets similar. Any money I make on the side, or my bonuses are mine to do with as I please. Other than that, there is no "my money". It's "our money".

This is the way I see it. Separate accounts may be applicable to separate business expenses etc.

And in cases of divorce in most states there are 50/50 laws so accumulating your own pile of money during the marriage 'just in case' won't help you out anyways.