DEAR HARRIETTE: I came home from work today to discover that my electricity was not working. I checked the breakers and everything seemed OK, but nothing worked. I was about to call and yell at the super when it occurred to me that my husband may not have paid the bill. I called him, and sure enough that was it. We paid right away but lost most of the food that we had just bought.
I am livid. This points to how poorly we have been managing our money for quite some time now. We need to have a serious conversation about our finances, but I haven’t been able to get my husband to participate. What can I say to start the conversation? -- Last Straw, Syracuse, New York
DEAR LAST STRAW: Ask your husband if he will give you 30 minutes to talk about family business. Point out that you think it is necessary for the two of you to create a budget that you both follow and that includes dates of when bills need to be paid. Ask him if he will work with you on this so you don’t lose your power or even your home due to neglect. Plead if necessary, and offer to do whatever you can to set it up so that it's easy for both of you to follow.