Quote: Money is an issue at home. My wife has spent what is a large amount of money in the last week at the local grocery, but I don't see any food in the fridge. I don't want to ask her about it, because that can be controlling and like snooping, but I don't want her to spend money we don't have. Do I talk to her about it? How? My feeling is that we aren't going to be homeless; the kids will be fed, so I should let it go. But I'm enjoying managing the finances again and I would like to know what was bought. Thoughts?
That ain't snooping. It's a necessary part of any marriage to work together in budgeting and spending appropriately.
You certainly have a right to talk to her about it and you can't allow the need to lay off certain subjects be used (by yourself or her) to avoid the possibility of conflict.
It's all in how you approach it.
We eliminated most of our stress over money by buckling down, paying things off, saving for unexpected emergencies, and simply going without things as long as necessary in order to get and stay in the black. Not only has working together on that helped us, but you'd be amazed at how much easier your marriage and home life gets when you eliminate debt-stress.
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. -- Inigo Montoya, 'The Princess Bride'
