Kiplinger: 5 financial tips for newlyweds

[grantmeaname]

By god, legitimate mustachian advice in a mainstream publication! What's the world coming to?

5 Financial tips for newlyweds

• Don't jack up your lifestyle
• Live on one salary, save the other
• Max out on retirement savings
• Get some insurance (not super mustachian, but better than a destination wedding in Cancun)
• Enjoy life

[gooki]

Brilliant stuff.

[jnik]

• Live on one salary, save the other

Living on my salary and saving hers worked out really well for my ex-wife. Be careful how you arrange this!

[Phoebe]

Good advice!!  We basically followed this (and wish we hadn't on the insurance, but oh well.......)

[momo]

Good ideas! I especially like #1 & #3!

Pity we don't have financial training programs for all adults and especially for people looking to get married. MMM ideas would revolutionize the minds and lives of countless married people. Lol, until then I just point people to MMM. Cheers!

[GuitarStv]

1. Elope.

Perfectly rational people become hyperconsumption zombie monsters from hell the moment that 'wedding' is mentioned.

[momo]

1. Elope.

Perfectly rational people become hyperconsumption zombie monsters from hell the moment that 'wedding' is mentioned.

This actually makes sense. Why should a couple NEED to have a lavish wedding that sets them back many years financially? Eloping is something I feel more couples should consider.

Has anyone here recently eloped or gotten married? For those of you who've been married many years, what do you think about couples that elope?

Cheers!

[Spork]

Married almost 18 years... and we eloped to Vegas.

It wasn't a secret, sneak out down a ladder in the middle of the night elope.  Both parents knew.  Neither of us is particularly religious and "a really expensive party" seemed to pale in comparison to "a really nice down payment on a house."

I wouldn't say the Vegas wedding was the make or break of our marriage, but it was a pretty good initial indication that we were financially very compatible.  To the best of my knowledge she's never had the "I wish I had the big wedding" blues.

[velocistar237]

You don't have to elope to spend zero on a wedding. I know of one case where the mother didn't care at all about the ceremony but just wanted to be there. Your family may vary.

[chicagomeg]

1. Elope.

Perfectly rational people become hyperconsumption zombie monsters from hell the moment that 'wedding' is mentioned.

This actually makes sense. Why should a couple NEED to have a lavish wedding that sets them back many years financially? Eloping is something I feel more couples should consider.

Has anyone here recently eloped or gotten married? For those of you who've been married many years, what do you think about couples that elope?

Cheers!

My parents had a "planned elopement" in 1980 and my father's mother nearly died of shock and embarassment. Really caused a rift between she and my mom. Fiance and I are planning a modest but still expensive ceremony, but it's within our means and a calculated decision. I know that we could use the money elsewhere, but this is important to me personally. 35 people and I think when all is said and done we're going to hit $8k. Well above our initial goal of $4k.

[Tyler]

My wife and I "eloped" to Maui.  We told people it was happening, but said it was just for us so that it would be personal and special.  Just the two of us on a private beach with a minister, a harpist, and a photographer -- all for a steal by wedding standards.  I can't imagine getting married any other way.

[jrhampt]

We "eloped" about 5 years ago and honeymooned in Switzerland.  Totally low stress way to get married.