Young couples are living together more often and for longer periods of time, often delaying marriage and childbirth. In recent years, women have come to make up 57 percent of all college students, giving them career options that their mothers could only envy. These circumstances combine to provide a new perspective on household finances. In “Home Economics: How Couples Manage Their Money,” newlywed Jessica Grose identifies three methods that couples use to handle their money: Common Potters (couples who pool everything), Independent Operators (his is his and hers is hers), and Sometimes Sharers (something in between).
The author is on a mission to find out what system works best for her and her husband. Along the way, she profiles various couples and explains why their way works best for them, addressing the pros and cons inherent to each.
In previous generations, couples married young and children soon followed. Men were commonly the primary breadwinners. So it made sense for most people to be “Common Potters,” couples who merge all their funds. But times have changed. What if you enter a relationship after your career is established? What if you and your partner make equal amounts, you don’t have children, and you have your own interests? It might make sense for you and your partner to be “Independent Operators.” But even the most fiercely independent-minded individuals can end up sharing more than a mortgage or rent check. What happens when kids are born? When you want to take a vacation and one partner can afford a five-star deluxe beachfront hotel but the other one can afford a camping trip? For many couples, it works best to be “Sometimes Sharers.” After talking to various couples about their choices, Grose and her husband find a plan that suits them. Find out which method she and her husband decide on.
The author is on a mission to find out what system works best for her and her husband. Along the way, she profiles various couples and explains why their way works best for them, addressing the pros and cons inherent to each.
In previous generations, couples married young and children soon followed. Men were commonly the primary breadwinners. So it made sense for most people to be “Common Potters,” couples who merge all their funds. But times have changed. What if you enter a relationship after your career is established? What if you and your partner make equal amounts, you don’t have children, and you have your own interests? It might make sense for you and your partner to be “Independent Operators.” But even the most fiercely independent-minded individuals can end up sharing more than a mortgage or rent check. What happens when kids are born? When you want to take a vacation and one partner can afford a five-star deluxe beachfront hotel but the other one can afford a camping trip? For many couples, it works best to be “Sometimes Sharers.” After talking to various couples about their choices, Grose and her husband find a plan that suits them. Find out which method she and her husband decide on.
