Girls Just Wanna Have Funds Women's Personal Finance Blog

If this offends someone. Good.  That means you’re doing something wrong and should read the rest to make sure you’re not making dumb money moves that typically lead us to Judge Mathis’ or Judge Judy’s court room. Seriously, I can’t tell you how many women show up on a judge show begging to be compensated for something they should have never done with a recent paramour.  Read on to find out if you’re one of them:   Please Don’t Buy Him Furniture If you’re not engaged to be married then you have no business buying a guy furniture that you ... Read More »

Before you read and comment, catch up on previous episodes here: Full Episode 1 Full Episode 2 Full Episode 3 I rarely discuss the drama that surrounds reality TV shows here but since the internet is a buzz with the latest Love and Hip Hop episodes, I can’t help but chime in with the obvious lessons in love and money for women.  I caught up on the full episodes after reading Luvvie’s post on Stevie J and his Groupon peen.  I just had to see what this was all about since I decided not to watch after seeing the trailer. ... Read More »

Yes, I know we’ve discussed this topic ad nauseum here and where the post first went live as a guest post at Consumerism Commentary. In my defense of bringing this up again, I was contacted by ABCNews to discuss my views on marriage and money as it relates to the book: Smart Girls Marry Money: How Women Have Been Duped Into the Romantic Dream–And How They’re Paying For It. And, while I think certain phrases are used mainly for shock value to pull the reader in, I generally agree with the premise.  Don’t let sensationalized romanticism be your sole guide ... Read More »

(image: momlogic) Is there a perceived loss of equity and partnership because a stay at home wife/mom isn’t “pulling her financial weight”?  Given the feminist fight for equality, should women make the choice to stay at home?  Will our daughters revolt when all is said and done? Let’s rehash this debate shall we? Historically on this blog, and I’m sure many other sites-the stay at home mom vs stay at home wife vs working mom/wife debate has been heated and at times unbearable to watch or read.  It’s one of those debates that stirs the ire of many women who ... Read More »

Given that many around us are experiencing financial hardships, it’s not uncommon that a romantic partner would ask to borrow money.  Today’s issue centers on whether or not you should lend or borrow money from a significant other. This can be tempting but before reach for your wallet, take these tips into consideration: Decide:  Should You Lend?  Is this a necessity or a luxury?  Listen to the reasons as to why your partner wants the money and determine should you be the one to lend it.  A good rule of thumb is if the bank won’t lend them money then ... Read More »

  According to TMZ.com, Kim Kardashian will file for divorce today citing irreconcilable differences. Ladies, are we surprised?  I hope not since it’s well known that Kris was actually scouted by E reps to be Kim’s love interest in which they would eventually “marry”.  The happily ever after part, I’m not too sure about! But that brings us to the touchy subject of  prenuptial agreements.  Kim and Kris reportedly hammered one out prior to walking down the aisle. Should fairly well to do woman get a prenup when getting married?  Or what if you’re just a regular Jane who has ... Read More »

Financial abuse is something that we rarely hear about since it is often insidious and wrapped up in the confines of an abusive relationship.  Very rarely do the women in these relationships speak of the issue because of the shame attached to having to account for every penny spent or even ask for money just to purchase the very basic necessities in life. So what are the signs and what can be done about it? Forced Career Choices Women in financially abusive relationships are often forced to take career paths they would not have chosen on their own.  This keeps ... Read More »

If you know me then you know I enjoy watching “Judge” shows.  My favorites being Judge Mathis, People’s Court with Judge Marilyn Milian and even that wench Judge Judy.  Even though Judge Judy grinds my nerves at times but she’s often right. The latter 2 of the 3 always have piercing advice for women shacking up with men when things go sour and now sitting in front of them hoping for a favorable judgement. My favorites: Stop allowing  these men to shack up with you while mingling your finances with no concrete agreement about who pays for what! If the ... Read More »

We’ve all see the same Judge Joe Brown or Judge Judy case where the ex takes the other to court about financial disputes including but not limited to bank fees, credit card bills, rent, personal loans and the like. So what’s a newly shacked couple to do? Do they discuss the possible breakup now or do they jump in head first? According to MSN Money: The No. 1 hazard of living together is that it offers almost none of the financial or legal protection that marriage does… As unromantic as it sounds, most experts on the unmarried state advise those ... Read More »

Susan Gernhart is back with a thought provoking post on the dating habits of women dating in 2010.  My how they’ve changed over the years with the advent of the Internet!  Please read and share your thoughts in the comments about dating and going dutch in 2010. Dating in 2010.  It’s definitely not the same as it was in 1955.  Or, 2005 for that matter.  The Internet has drastically altered the rules of the dating game (and it is sort of a game, no?). After four or five rounds with the snooze button, I groggily awoke to a husky voice emanating from my ... Read More »

For the last two weeks I’ve been dealing with a situation which required me to intervene with a couple with regard to their finances.  To say that this has been the most frustrating two weeks of my life is an understatement.  Sleepless nights.  Crazy emails back and forth.  One hand not knowing what the other is doing.  Just pure madness if you ask me.  I tend to take on my friends’ emotions so it was hard for me to listen to both sides while helping them manage the emotional and financial impact of their issues. While I understand how difficult ... Read More »

Last night Bravo premiered the newest installation of their Housewives realty series in Beverly Hills.  If you follow the Housewives series then you know there are other locations such as New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, DC and Orange County.  Admittedly, I follow all of them so I was really excited when the Beverly Hills gals stepped on the scene. My first reaction to seeing them is that they have quite possibly drained the US supply of Botox.  Their faces were either pulled back taut or pumped so full of fillers that it looked unnatural, sorta like budding cat ladies. But ... Read More »

Here’s part 2 of Susan’s journey to regain her sanity and credit after she finds out that her fiance racked up thousands in credit card debt -  in her name. I have some questions for Susan in quotes but maybe readers can share some insights as well I couldn’t believe it; I had become a deplorable statistic. I was now “one of those” inferior, inadequate people who made the pathetic resolution to gulp… declare bankruptcy. Why weren’t you able to tell the credit card companies that you were a victim of identity theft since he used the cards and obtained ... Read More »

Today’s guest post comes from Susan Gernhart who writes about her journey to regain her credit and peace of mind after surrendering to the fact that her fiance’s struggle with drugs would never take a back seat to their relationship.  But that’s not all, read her story to find out.  This is part 1. What do I have in common with Sandra Bullock, Elin Nordegren and Anne Hathaway? All four of us were duped by our significant others, completely unaware of their “secret lives”. When I learned of Michael’s emotional and financial deception, I felt like biggest chump in the ... Read More »

Some of you reading are in relationships where you’re dating, living together, engaged or married and ultimately at some point may have to decide how to deal with finances…..together.  But what about those of you who want to maintain your financial independence?  You may not want to mingle money or even depend on your partner for anything outside of a morning cup of joe.  If this is you then read on…. Set the stage…. The Talk. Lay out your reasons and expectations for maintaining your independence.  Couples often go wrong in this area because they don’t communicate expectations and even ... Read More »