Married / No Kids Series: Expenses You’ll Have to Consider
Written by
Stacey Bumpus
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As a child or college student, you really don’t have many expenses to think about; however, as an adult, they pile on and seem to grow exponentially once you get married. Of course, the cost of getting married alone is pretty darn high, but even after you’ve started your lives together, expenses can build up pretty easily.
Daily Expenses
When you live together, there are expenses that you expect and some you may not expect. For instance, if you buy a home, you expect to have a mortgage payment; if you’ve purchased one or more cars, you expect to have a car note as well as car insurance, gas and maintenance costs; and of course, you’ll need to fill your house with furniture, food, cleaning supplies, appliances, electronics, and other one-time and daily expenses.
But then, there are those expenses that you don’t so much expect. For instance, you may forget that as a couple, you may want to spend quality time together, which means you may go out to eat, hang out at the movies, or take a couple of vacations throughout the year. Also, each person may want clothes, shoes, haircuts, and other personal care items. And don’t forget that if you own a home together, you’ll need homeowners insurance, as well as money set aside for maintenance costs not covered in your policy. There’s a lot more than you thought to consider, right?
Taxes
This is one that will eventually hit home for anyone who works or owns property. If you receive a paycheck from anyone, own a car, or a home, you’re going to have to pay income taxes and/or property taxes. As a married couple, you may end up paying taxes for the first time that you’ve never had to pay. For instance, if you both work and file jointly then you may find yourself owing income taxes instead of receiving a refund because your partner makes much more than you. Also, if you and your spouse decide to purchase a new car and home, your personal property taxes could skyrocket.
Sudden Illness or Death
This is something you surely don’t want to think about, but you have to consider what might happen if one spouse becomes suddenly ill or passes away. You both need ample health insurance coverage, as well as a quality life insurance policy and money set aside in a savings account. This way, if one becomes unable to help with the bills, the other will be able to manage without struggle.
Being married, with or without children, requires careful planning and a lot of communication. Since you know there are expenses you may have to think about, it’s good to sit down and determine what they are and how you will handle them sooner than later.
