I did that was always was frugal and still am.....the difference is my two marriages wasn't like thinking. If you do not marry someone that is equally linked to you, you will never do all that well!! IMO. It's just a shame that some of us never see it that way until we are 'over the hill....' If you marry unlike thinkers to you, well....good luck because imo, you'll need it.
That was actually another thing in one or two of those vids I watched recently-
"Marry well", and that doesn't mean marry "into money", it means marry someone who shares your saving/spending/value habits.
My wife and I are very close. However, we have her money, my money and our money.
Our money pays all the bills and gives us a little extra.
It's the money from the rentals and my shop. We used to both contribute, but as we did better, we each contributed less and less.
Before we refinanced, I was kicking in $100 a month. Now I don't have to do that, and we are letting it ride to see what we can each draw at the end of the year.
Hers/mine is what we make at our day jobs.
We each manage that as we see fit.
If I can afford car parts or a project car- I buy it. She says nothing.
If she can afford a new car, she buys it, and I say nothing. (except- "make sure you buy one I fit in")
We NEVER argue about money.
OK, sometimes we quibble over who gets to pay for dinner or groceries, and the one who
doesn't pay sometimes gets a little miffed.
I mean
you paid last time...it's my turn to pay...
The only time that was different is when she only made 1/3 what I did and her (our) boy was still living with us, and were not making very much with the first rental.
Then I tried to make sure I paid for at least 2/3 of everything. She fought me on that sometimes, too.
We frequently shove/hide money in each others wallet/purse.
That's kinda fun to see how long it takes for the other to notice.