Help! My Spouse Hates Personal Finance

I've tried hard throughout the last two and half years (since we got engaged) to involve my wife in financial decisions and regular checkups on of our finances. It hasn't worked. In fact, it wasn't until my wife and I started dating seriously (when she was 19 years old) that at my urging, she got her first bank account of any sort. I couldn't believe it, but she kept all of her money in cash hidden in a book until she was a college sophomore.

Today I completed my monthly net worth tracking. As I always do after I update our marital balance sheet, I brought up the topic to update my wife. My darling wife's eyes immediately glazed over. She hates numbers, math, and budgets. She hates that when she asks to spend money I almost always respond, "sure, just remember we only have X dollars in the budget for that type of purchase this month." The concept that buying something now curtails her in the future tends to frustrate her. When the topic of money comes up she immediately changes the subject or says, "Baby, that's your AREA." In short, my wife HATES personal finance.

Thankfully we don't fight about money. She has struck a bargain with me that so long as she always has what she needs and a few of the things that she wants the rest is up to me. We have talked deeply about what we consider needs and wants and on that we agree. We also have talked about big ticket items like cars, houses, and children and we agree on them as well. My wife is fine to remain completely in the dark about our immediate financial situation. This allocation of responsibility initially made me uneasy but I'm now convinced that this is exactly how she wants it and it will never change no matter how many budget meetings I try to have. It works for us, but I don't know about anyone else. I still worry about what would happen if I were ever in an accident, I've even considered putting life insurance into a trust to care for her so it requires no budgeting or investing on her part. Is that too much? I don't know.

Here are a series of articles and blog postings dealing with couples and personal finance. I hope that the advice presented can help you and your spouse share your financial lives together in harmony.

• Twelve Important Things To Talk About When Your Relationship Gets Serious
• How to have a Successful Budget Meeting with Your Spouse
  
• Money & Relationships (2) How to Stop Fighting over Money
• Questions On Talking About Money And Relationships, Answered (Part 1)