Sometimes when the credit crunch has reached Europe in full, I have to discuss our family finances and Lena always blows up in an angry fit.

I don't understand that, I think telling her I found a new job that makes $70k annually will be nice and she nearly bites my head off because we used to have $100k.

Yes, but its crises in Europe blablabla ... oh well. I give up, I will never discuss finances with her again.

Markje

I dont receive the angry fits, but mine has no concept at all of where the money comes from or how it needs to be apportioned for different things.

the business took a real dive 18months ago and it was difficult - to say the least. In the middle of all of that, we got her back to Russia twice and also managed to get her son 'safe' from Russian draft. I dont know how we managed it TBH..

sometimes tears and a very long face when I said 'No' to buying something. Yet in Russia - it was a case of having to manage without..

I cant complain of course, mine doesnt drink or smoke or ask for steak every night..

but like you say - no idea of what a credit crisis is...

Fortunately I don't have any such problems, mine was a Chief Accountant back in Ukraine and is extremely good with money, she never spends anything to excess and is great at saving money where she can and budgeting if needs be.

She has lately (last 7 months) been self tutoring herself to take some English Accountancy Qualifications (ACCA), she has already passed two exams another one and she will become part qualified in Britain and then she only has another 11 exams to take and she will be a fully qualified Chartered Accountant, she has not stopped working on one thing or another since she came over here 4 years go. She has recently become a British Citizen and got her British Passport and a few months ago, passed her driving test too and now has her own car, I couldn't ask for anyone better to be honest and I do feel very fortunate at times.

Markje, I do think you are in the majority of those who are married to FSU women. Based on the comments I have heard that finances and financial planning is so different the this is a common area of problems.

My personal experiences have been more along the lines of the others. My wife is well over half way through her school to be an accountant and works in my business as our accountant. My situation is more the opposite. My wife seldom complains about money but she is almost unbelievably frugal. I can easily get yelled at for doing anything that isn't totally frugal and conservative such as turning on the water when I want to wash my hands. Her concept is turn the water on enough to wet your hands then turn it off, use the soap, turn it on just enough to rinse them and turn it off. I have whole house air that has never been turned on the the 4 1/2 years she has been here and we sit around under blankets all winter. I do have to say she has done wonders for my bank account and the business bank account.

he he, my wife also works as a part time accountant in my business while she tutors herself on Chartered accountancy exams and works another accountancy job, but I had to laugh at your statements Turbo about your wife, mine is always asking me for receipts for stuff I buy for the business,can't get away with buying anything and not having a reciept on the plus side she keeps everything bang up to date and in order, she is very meticulous.

Well mine is not much different from the other's when it comes to planning....... but there is one rule...... we talk about it and once we agreed to our plan, I take the action and keep the books straight or play with them, accordingly.

What is more important, she knows that she can't go to red because we will have to pay interest charges, which she hates like hell, ...... so easy to keep on budget and at the end of the month...... all credit cards must be paid in Full!

Travel planning and expenses are my domain, due to experience, but she has a bad habit...... she likes window shopping and she buys present for anybody else except for her self............ why I don't understand.

When buying something for herself she has the habit of asking my opinion .....if it is nice!

Other wise she is very frugal, like most of Russian women. Old habits die hard and I am happy with it!

Let's be honest. If they were not pretty, slim and frugal, would we have married them?

I think that men should keep away all the girls and women from "money" deals..It's like our male worries. They will never understand anything concerning that.In your case, I advise you to ask Lena to be more restrained as to this topic. She would definitely understand you!