My husband just retired from the Marine Corps. He was in charge of million dollar equipment, could lead troops into battle knowing complex information. Can he pay the bills and balance a check book? Nope! Kills me!
We ended up in debt because of him. Years ago when he was a low rank and he'd be on ship for months he'd make less money (before they started paying hardship type pays) and I'd have to let a bill go here and there because our children would need shoes or food to eat. So when he'd get home and ask why something was behind in payment I'd explain to him why and he wouldn't get it. So I handed everything over to him, wrote down when and how to pay things, and told him to do the bills for the following month. Well, he screwed us up so much that the credit bureau listed us as demons! I've been digging us out of this mess for years and we've finally come to the point that our credit rating is finally good, just in time for retirement and starting a new career.
Do you know what my husband did after retiring from the military and starting a new job? Opened a Kohl's card and racked up over $600 in dress clothes and didn't tell me about it! He also went hog wild and bought a $200 single serve coffee pot and all the accessories! Um, we just moved from my brother's house after 2 months of no income transitioning from the military and he's racking up bills? We haven't had a credit card or store credit card in YEARS and now we're bogged down again. He doesn't understand that we just can't pay it off in full cuz we do have to pay rent!
It still baffles me how otherwise intelligent men who will make you feel stupid for not understanding the complexities of their job cannot balance a check book or understand the simplicities of household bills.
This is why he is not allowed access to his debit card or even our bank account at times (like a child) unless he can control himself. Needless to say, he has to ask me for money right now or packs a lunch or he goes hungry at work. You screw the pooch, you pay the price!
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets