You may never have balanced your checkbook. But now that you are getting married, it is time you and your fiancée talked about finances. GroomGroove.com presents an article on pre-marital financial planning. From spending and saving to bank accounts and investments, keep your marriage financially balanced.

"Money issues," reports Claire Meillet, 28, of Chicago, Illinois "led to our first real 'fight'. Rob and I had tried to maintain separate bank accounts, but I was always the one buying groceries, from my account. I had enough. We needed a better strategy."

Money is the number one cause of friction in a marriage, and a frequent contributor to divorce. Much of that friction can be avoided in advance of getting married by having an open discussion with your fiancée about financial priorities and setting up a financial system to accomplish those priorities.

Priorities

Spending Habits and Checking Accounts

Typically, newlyweds are advised by financial planners to set up a joint bank account. This forces the couple not to think of "my" money but "our" money and is particularly important when one spouse earns more than the other or one spouse is perceived as the breadwinner. However, couples that maintained separate bank accounts prior to getting married often find it difficult to adjust to having joint bank accounts. "Having two checking accounts wasn't working," Rob Stevens, Claire's husband says, "but having only one single account wasn't going to be a solution. We settled on a single bank account where our pay was being deposited, groceries and investments would be paid out of, then paid each other $300 per week for our own spending to a separate account."

Not uncommon, such strategies allow couples to be responsible with their spending, particularly if one spouse has different spending habits (read: shopping) than the other. If, for example, Rob spent his $300 one week on tickets and travel to the "Final Four" college basketball tournament, he'd have to wait until next payday to be replenished.

Sticking closely to the rules is an important part of maintaining financial bliss, as most of the problems related to money are resentment-related.

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