Ask Money

Advice on combining finances for couples

Chris Farrell May 17, 2012

Question: I am getting married next year and would love a good book idea about combining finances with a spouse. We are also considering homeownership and I just read Jane Hodges’ Rent vs. Own after hearing her on the show. Great read. Thanks so much for your wonderful insights every week! Nate, Cincinnati, OH 

Answer: Thanks for listening. One suggestion is For Richer, Not Poorer — The Money Book for Couples. It’s by financial educator Ruth Hayden. What I like about the book is how it deals with the nuts and bolts of merging finances, including setting up a household budget. 

My other suggestion is Jane Bryant Quinn’s Smart and Simple Financial Strategies for Busy People. I would focus on the first few chapters, in which Quinn lays out a sound, simple way to manage money over a lifetime. She’s right that financial complexity is the enemy of good money management.

Anybody else have a suggestion?

 

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.