Work/life Balance And The Debit Card - Could You Take Control Tomorrow?

Work/Life Balance and the Debit Card - Could You Take Control Tomorrow?

MOST WOMEN are surprised to learn that even though I run my own businesses, I haven’t paid a bill since 1997. This situation leaves me in a precarious position. If something happened to Steve—my chief financial officer for Insider Marketing, ellenmiller.com, and the Miller household—not only would I be devastated to lose the love of my life, I would be paralyzed financially. Recognizing this vulnerability recently, we scheduled a family meeting for a little tutorial.

I admit I was totally lost when Steve opened Quicken. But after a few minutes of hunting and pecking, I was pretty confident that I could pay the electric bill again. Of course, managing the finances and dealing with payroll for the companies is a bit more complex, but at least I know I could cobble things together in case of an emergency. Could you? Or could he?

In many families, one spouse or the other takes care of managing the family budget. But it is the one who has forfeited this task that suffers greatly in a crisis. Talk about compounding a problem! If something happened to one of you, don’t you agree that managing the budget and locating your investments should be the last thing that surfaces as a worry or a challenge?

I’m not a detail person. To me, balancing the checkbook and paying bills are like watching paint dry. I don’t plan on taking over this duty (much to Steve’s relief), but I’m comforted to know I can if I ever have to.

Could you use a refresher course? What about your mom or dad? Could they benefit from a quick walk-through of their investments, statements, and commitments?

Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. (Proverbs 8:14)

It might be time for you to reengage in financial discussions. Liberate yourself from ever saying, “I don’t know how. He took care of the money.”