The Spender and The Saver

[Flickr/DiamondSheepRebirth]

A spender and a saver – would you say this is a match made in heaven or a future divorce statistic? You’d think that when it comes to saving and spending, birds of the same mindset would flock together. Not really – say some personal finance experts – in fact, polar opposites tend to attract when it comes to money and love.

But what if you’re a spender when it comes to some things (like Blu Rays or vacations) and a saver when it comes to other things (like starting a retirement fund). Given this, could it be that as individuals, we’re all a mix of both? What is it about a relationship that makes one person take on the role of the saver while the other becomes the spender?

In most cultures, men have taken on the role of the saver since they were the breadwinners of their families while women were the spenders as the homemakers. Not the case in Japan. While men are typically the breadwinners, they almost always hand over their paychecks to their wives to manage. The thinking there is that women will put the interest of the family first while men have the tendency to squander their money.

Cultures aside, in this day and age, are money management roles assumed or are they assigned?

Many personal finance gurus recommend engaged couples to have a conversation about money before they actually get married. This way, they can work out their financial differences before a horrible spat leads to splitsville. While it doesn’t surprise me that money is a leading cause of divorce, I really wonder how many people actually have this conversation.

Ron Lieber at The New York Times wrote a good column for Your Money last week about the money talks to have before marriage. In a nutshell, here are the things that couples should go over during these conversations:

• Ancestry: Discuss how your partner’s parents managed their money. This will give you a good idea about how he/she does or will relate to money.
• Credit: It’s now or never – find out what your partner’s credit score is. You’ll either have a big sigh of relief or cry…better to do it now then when you’re trying to buy your first home together.
• Control: Figure out how will you manage your money as a couple. Will the responsibility fall on one person or will both of you have a hand in the bills? Will you keep private accounts or combine everything together?
• Affluence: Know if your financial goals are aligned – in other words, “just how rich do [you and your partner] want to be one day” and how will you get there?

Dang It, I’m Infected!

I went on vacation and learned that the phrase, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” does not apply to flu-like symptoms. BTW, those flu-like symptoms have since been confirmed to be the actual flu. While quarantining myself for the past few days, I am often asked, “is it swine flu?” Well, to be honest, I don’t know. My doctor says that he wouldn’t be able to tell without a test, but that it didn’t matter since the treatment (Tamiflu) works for both (which was later prescribed to me). So I guess I’m covered for this flu season at least.

[Natalie Dee]

Anyhow, here the highlights:

• Tamiflu, Sold Out? The first Walgreens I went to couldn’t fill my prescription because they were out of Tamiflu. Since I didn’t want to wait until they got their next shipment, I had to go home and look up two other locations to call and see who had it in stock. Once that was taken care of and the prescription was transferred over, I headed over to pick it up. Too bad I got the two addresses mixed up and went to the wrong Walgreens at first. Doh!

• Fever, What Fever? It never fails. Every time I’m sick with a fever, my fever mysteriously goes away the minute a nurse or doctor takes my temperature. It’s like the freaking Michigan J. Frog (aka, the WB frog mascot that only sings when there isn’t an audience). At the same time, it really makes me question whether there’s something wrong with my thermometer since it claimed that my temperature was ranging between 100.8 and 103.8, ’cause I sure didn’t feel that hot.

• Theraflu’s Motto Should Be: “Sweat Out The Flu In You” I must have drunk at least six packs of Theraflu over the last 3 days. Each dose was like taking a trip to a sauna ’cause I would start to sweat like a menopausal woman with a hot flash (more so in my sleep than during any other time). But hey, it did work, so no complaints here.

• Cats Can Get Swine Flu Now this last one is just plain un-be-liv-a-ble! While I may not know for sure which flu I have, I was disturbed to learn today that a cat in Iowa was reported to have contracted swine flu. That means that my little Dolby is at high risk since he’s been hanging out with me in sick bay for the past four days. I’ll have to keep an eye out for any suspicious symptoms. Dangnabbit!

I Heart Coupons: Sephora

[Flickr/DisneyMike]

So to bring a little structure to this blog, I’ve decided to start a new section called “I Heart Coupons.” To start things off, here’s a little something for beauty mavens everywhere – Sephora is having their friends & family sale (e.g., everything is 20% off) from now until Mon., 11/2. Here’s the coupon code: FF2009

In using this code and making my first online purchase at Sephora.com, I got a pretty good deal. I bought two full price items (basics which I consider to be must haves) and a few three sale items (things that I wouldn’t buy at full price). While I won’t line list everything that I bought, here are my favorite buys:

Cargo OneBase
(This is a great foundation/concealer for people like me who just needs some light cover up. It has also been a pain in the ass to find. I must have went to at least 4 different Sephora stores and NONE of them had my shade in stock. Unbelievable!)
Original Price = $26.00
W/Discount = $20.08

Sephora Illuminating Tweezers
(Since I lost my good tweezers, I’ve been in the market for a new one. I like the fact that this one lights up, we’ll see if it’s any good though.)
Original Price = $22.00
Sale Price = $11.00
W/Discount = $8.80 (^_^)

In total, I saved $11.70, got free shipping (which is typically over $5) by ordering more than $50 worth of merchandise and got three free samples with my order. IMHO, I thought it was pretty good deal even if Sephora is just a tad bit pricier than Target. My only gripe is that my purchases are not showing up on my Beauty Insider account – I want my points damn it! Gurr…I’m gonna have to call customer services to see what’s up, what a pain!