Unfortunatley, UST, it's ALWAYS about the money, unless you have so much that it doesn't matter.
I have estimated that our combined disposable income has dropped about $2k per month. For me that is a TON of money. I have worked hard to get my life to the place where I didn't really have to worry about money. Had a nice house, good job, great family, kids getting older. Life was supposed to be getting easier. Now that life has a bullet in it's head.
I can remember back to college, when I didn't have hardly any money. I had a great time, but it was a pretty basic existence back then and no kids to worry about. It's easy to say that money shouldn't be an issue, but someone has to make it.
W says she doesn't care about the money, yet she takes 1/2 of mine and still tries to nickel and dime me. It is easy to say you don't care about the money when you have money.
I read in a book that it is easier to relate to each other when you are younger, because you face many of the same problems. You don't have money, so you are struggling to pay for a place to live, food to eat, bills to pay, etc. Later, someone focuses on a career and another on the household/kids or whatever and your problems are no longer congruent and you don't understand each other as well as you once did. If there is a communication issue, problems build. Me and W had a BIG communication issue, but it didn't drive me over the edge, only her. Why?
In our case, I worked harder (lots of hours)as I got older and didn't pay enough attention to her and the kids. We got whatever material things we wanted, but that isn't a substitute for the connection. She worked part-time and did EVERYTHING for the kids. They were her life to the point that she didn't pay enough attention to me or our relationship.
This is a 2-way street, but only one bailed out. However, I am getting to that point myself now.
