You Paid How Much For That?!

Money is the number one problem area for couples because money isn't simply about dollars and cents. If you scratch the surface of almost any money issue, you'll find a relationship issue complicating if not actually driving the problem. That's why You Paid How Much For That? not only sound reveals principles of money management but also provides you with practical tools to uncover and understand the deeper, often hidden meanings of money and conquer the problems it raises in your relationship. You Paid How Much For That? can help you to * Learn how a Saver and Spender can live together-happily! * Gain a healthy respect for what money can-and can't-do for you. * Understand how your upbringing, culture, and gender influence how you and your partner approach relationships and money differently. * Find out how to solve problems together in ways that promote teamwork. * Discover practical ways to get what you both want most. * Capture a vision for a prosperous and loving future together.

Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 PART ONE: THE INVISIBLE FORCES 1 Marriage, Money, and Real Life 11 2 The Master Key 33 3 An Introduction to Invisible Forces 48 4 The Full Monty: Exposing Hidden Issues 58 5 Great (and Not So Great) Expectations 72 6 Where Expectations Come from 90 7 Just How Opposite Is the Opposite Sex? 108 Going Deep 125 PART TWO: NOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND, WHAT DO WE DO? 8 Talking Things Out 139 9 Real Solutions for Real Problems 156 10 The Golden Ground Rules 174 11 Accounting for Love 187 PART THREE: SHOW US THE MONEY Introduction to Money Management 211 12 Getting It Together 217 13 What Do You Have? 226 14 Smart Borrowing, Dumb Debt 240 15 Insurance: How to Protect What You’ve Got 257 16 Taxes: Keeping More of What You Make 277 17 A Penny Saved Is . . . Not Much! How to Control Spending 288 18 Investing: How to Get More 305 PART FOUR: FINDING YOUR TARGET 19 The Heart of Commitment 327 20 Turning Reality into Dreams 343 RESOURCES Choosing a Financial Planner 367 Our Ten Favorite Books on Money Management and Investment 375 Resources and Training 377 Research and References 379 About the Authors 387 Index 389