. About 15 months ago, we decided to refinance our home. The interest rate was lower than when we had bought our house six years earlier, and our house had appreciated enough that we could drop PMI (private mortgage insurance) when we refinanced. The mortgage broker working with us asked if we wanted a cash-out refinance to pay off debt. Our answer was a hard and fast “no.” … [Read more...] about Why You Shouldn’t Refinance to Pay Off Consumer Debt
How to Help a Spouse with a Shopping Addiction
Are your credit cards maxed out? Does your spouse continue to shop even though you’re deep in debt? Are there clothes with the tags still on them in your closet? Does your spouse have collections that clutter your house? If all of this sounds familiar, you may be living with a spouse with a shopping addiction. You can help a spouse with a shopping addiction, but doing so won’t … [Read more...] about How to Help a Spouse with a Shopping Addiction
How to Make It Worthwhile to Shop for Two at Costco
Costco is known for gigantic packs of toilet paper and bulk size food items. If you’re a DINK, you may think Costco has no place in your life. After all, you don’t need to buy enough toilet paper in one trip to last for the year, and there’s no way you can eat a 10-pound bag of carrots before they go bad. However, I urge you to rethink your opinion. There are plenty of ways to … [Read more...] about How to Make It Worthwhile to Shop for Two at Costco
How to Tell If Your Spouse Is Hiding Money
The number one cause of divorce is disagreements about money. While we may think of this meaning arguing about how you each spend money, there can also be a darker side. In some marriages, spouses hide money from one another. This can lead to divorce, especially if the behavior has lasting financial implications such as bankruptcy. … [Read more...] about How to Tell If Your Spouse Is Hiding Money
More Reasons Why DINKS Choose Not to Have Kids
People enter the DINKS lifestyle for different reasons. The most common reasons are that they don’t want children, can’t afford children, or can’t have children. However, while those reasons may comprise most DINKS couples in the United States, there are other, more nuanced reasons why couples choose to be DINKS. … [Read more...] about More Reasons Why DINKS Choose Not to Have Kids
Reasons Why Unmarried Couples Need a Will
As recently as 2010, approximately 15 million people live together as an unmarried couple (Nolo.com). Couples choose to live together rather than get married for a variety of reasons. However, if you’re one of these cohabitating couples, you need to realize that you don’t have as many of the rights and protections as married couples have. Therefore, you need to protect yourself … [Read more...] about Reasons Why Unmarried Couples Need a Will
Benefits and Drawbacks of DINKS’ Housing Options
Unlike families with kids, DINKS have many different options when it comes to housing choices. While a single-family home is likely to continue to appreciate, though, of course, that’s not guaranteed, you don’t have to go the traditional route. DINKS have many housing options available depending on lifestyle and personal choice. … [Read more...] about Benefits and Drawbacks of DINKS’ Housing Options
What to Do When Your Spouse Can’t Find a Job
As DINKS, you and your spouse likely rely on two incomes to meet your monthly obligations, save for retirement, and have some money to spend on fun expenses like travel, clothes, and meals out. When one of you loses a job, you may both worry. The uncertainty of job loss is often the most difficult to handle—when will your spouse find another job? Will the job pay as much as the … [Read more...] about What to Do When Your Spouse Can’t Find a Job
Financial Benefits of Being DINKS
You may find as you get older that your friends tease you and ask you when you’re going to have kids. They may tell you you’re missing out but not having children. However, if you’re firmly committed to the DINKS lifestyle, you might tell your friends you’re missing out on the expense that comes with children. Indeed, there are many financial benefits of being DINKS. … [Read more...] about Financial Benefits of Being DINKS
How Narcissism Affects a Couple’s Finances
Narcissism is quite common in our culture. In fact, The Cleveland Clinic reports that “experts estimate that up to 5% of people have NPD [Narcissistic Personality Disorder].” When you consider the United States’ population of approximately 330 million, five percent would be 16,500,000! Not surprisingly, there are many famous people who are narcissists: Kanye West, Kim … [Read more...] about How Narcissism Affects a Couple’s Finances
