You hate to give the IRS credit for anything, but tax-time revelations can provide some eye-openers.My favorite this year happened when my husband and I were in pre-tax prep, combing through our budget. I asked my dear spouse—who pays our bills—to remind me what my monthly life insurance premiums were.
Him: I don’t know, honey, you pay that one.
Deadly silence.
Me: What do you mean? You haven’t been paying my life insurance?!
Him: What do you mean, what do I mean? You pay yours, I pay mine—it’s been that way from the get-go.
Me: WHAT??? Are you KIDDING? You pay the BILLS, not me!
Him: Yeah, but you pay for your own life insurance.
Me: No, I don’t. YOU do.
Him: Well, I guess you don’t have any, now.
That was infuriating, embarrassing, and a harbinger of a few other colossal oversights we went on to discover—all of which boiled down to two really bad money habits:
Not checking in with each other about our budget each week, minimum, and thus incurring stupid overdraft charges.
Not reading our statements carefully enough to notice that we were now being charged for certain “free” subscriptions—and not canceling those services, thus making us suckers for The Oldest Marketing Ploy on Earth.
You?It is what it was. What embarrassing money habits did you discover while doing your taxes? C’mon...
photo source: jennyleefowler's shop on etsy
