On Monday, the world focused in on one of the biggest decisions ever made. As we sat anxiously on the edges of our seats, we wondered -as we bit our nails- what will happen. When will this decision be made? Will Ashely choose J.P. or Ben on the Bachelorette. Inquiring minds need to know!
Seriously, while most people should have been concerned about our national debt crisis, we escaped into the world of reality television to see if Ashely could truly find the right man? Would he propose? Would she say yes? It was just enough to keep the audience entangled in their love story enough to worry about our own troubles.
The fact is, while their courtship was once on T.V., their devotion and pledge to get married is now off the prying eyes of reality television cameras, so they have to start living in the real world.
As they prepare to enter the real world- one that does not fly you around the world for ridiculously romantic dates-, here are some suggestions for the new couple as they begin to settle down with each other for life. (and good advice for any couple looking to get hitched.)
- Do you know everything about each other? No? Good! You should not have to know every little detail about where your fiance went to summer camp or that time you fell off your bike, resulting in epic road rash. You should, however, know the big stuff. Where you want to live, how many kids you want to have, his middle name… These are things that you should know before you tie the knot. The rest of it you can learn as time goes on. But there is nothing worse than waking up 2 years later and thinking ‘this is not the person I thought I married.’ Do your homework and make sure you are compatible.
- Talk about finances. Financial woes is the number one reason couples divorce. Not agreeing on how to spend money, hiding money and philosophies about debt are things that could be a deal breaker. Talk about it early on. Things to consider: how much debt do you have, what kind of things are OK to go into debt for, what are your spending habits like, what do you like to spend your money on, and so forth.
- Get insured. Generally newlyweds are hard for cash so anything that could potentially cost a lot of money unexpectedly can financially ruin an already fragile bank account. You will need to discuss things like should you get united health care insurance or go for cobra health insurance, how much will car insurance cost, would we need renters/home owner’s insurance. While it may seem like a lot of money upfront for a new couple, but insurance can save thousands if you have an accident or a medical issue come up.
- Get on the same page about how you will spend your time. Find things to do together but still maintain your own identity.