Who controls the purse strings for your family?

[LadyBug]

I am not sure if this belongs in this group, but my mother and I were having a discussion on money matters (I am not sure how we got on the subject...but), she shared with me that in their 42 years of marriage that my father never showed her his paycheck. They had separate accounts, he paid all of the bills, except the telephone bill and things that concerned the children such as clothes and extracurricular activities that we were in. I shared with her that my husband and I are quite different...everything goes in one pot and everythings is paid out of one pot which really works for us. Just wondering how other black families operate... I have noticed that most of my friends have separate accounts from their husbands as well and separate bills to pay.

[JamieC]

Hiya Ladybug!!! LTNS

My grandparents raised us and my grandma was the one who generally took care of everything. Although my grandpa worked in a rock quarry (sp) back in the old days, grandma took care of all the bills because unfortunately my grandpa couldn't read!!

He never condoned her for doing so because that was just how it was. He handed the paycheck over to her, she'd deposit it and wrote checks from there.

Nowadays, I'm the purse holder because I learned to manage funds very well. Tell ya what though, when I was a single parent I could work a miracle out of a $20.00 bill feeding two children. Trust me.

[naskiecenye]

The situation that i am in now is 60-40

but only because i came to the relationship with two children

He pays more than me as far as the bills and stuff so that i can provide for my children

We split the rent, telephone, cable\internet,

He's paid most of the PSENG for those that dont know what that is its the gas and electric people
He pays the car insurance\gas and all car costs
He drops everyone off where we need to go in the morning
It works out for me and my budget