Many marital fights are because of one person trying to change the other. It takes about 20 married years to realize that it is not worth the effort. Learn to live with the other person’s style – after all he/ she is doing it.

In case of Money Management, these are purely my observation, tell me how many of you are guilty of this…or worried about this:

1. Assuming that the person who is earning more knows about money management: Complete bull. Not to say he/she who earns less knows more/ less – but money management is to be learnt. Money management is a science, not an art.

2. He is a banker (CA, auditor, broker, works in a life insurance company….et al) so he manages the joint money: This is almost a cruel joke. If he is a sales guy especially, he starts believing the lies he says everyday….and is fully equipped to ruin the family portfolio. If you are family, beware.

3. The partner who earns more will be truthful: true, unless he wants to cheat 🙂

4. Penny pinching will make us rich: For heavens sake, no. To get rich you need to invest well. The line between frugal and miserly is THIN. When you like living frugally, it is frugal. If you live frugally and want the world to appreciate you for that it is miserly. Heard of a head honcho who is proud of his ‘frugality’ ? believe me, he is not.

5. We have to agree on everything: OMG no. If both of you are earning Rs. 8 Lakhs a year, it does not matter if your husband buys a Rs. 800 shoe rack when you are planning to buy a better one for Rs. 5000. Do not sweat the small things. In life, money is a small thing.

6. Hey both of you are different! I know people who will not mind spending Rs. 9k on a running shoe, but will consider Rs. 30k for a cylce to be ‘so expensive’. L O L. When I buy I am being smart, when you buy you are either splurging or behaving miserly’ ….be careful of the words you use.

7. Do not be so busy saving for the future, that you forget to enjoy the present.

8. Girls! Your father was no genius with his money, stop listening to him. Let your husband learn, and teach you – and please manage the money jointly.

9. Cooking is a woman’s job…and Finance a man’s job: stupid attitude, BOTH go for an image makeover. Also remember men WILL pretend that they know. Smart women know how to handle it….do it before he s….s up your portfolio.

10. Asset allocation is so stupid, my father never did it. Hey girl, read point no. 8 again. Also, your father is 55 and your husband is 28, let him make his own mistakes. Your father did not listen to his father or father in law.

11. Girls if your father made his money in real estate (or equities or gold…) – just check if he got lucky. Luck and experience cannot be taught or willed, ask your dad to relax.

12. If your father in law thinks all your money should be in an asset class in which he made money, keep your mouth shut when he is gifting him you his  portfolio, otherwise just ignore.

13. Life is about money, things that money can buy, and people. Get your priorities right, both of you.