I'm sure you are probably wondering what the connection is between the two. I've posted before about the virtues of an Emergency Fund and how much they've helped me in the past. I'm sure this will be a controversial post but I wanted to stress again how important it is to have money set aside for those unknowns in your life. Consider this real life example....
I have a friend who is currently in an abusive relationship. Her husband is verbally and physically abusive to her but she continues to stay with him. She's left home a few times only to end up going right back. I couldn't understand why she kept going back so I kept nagging until I got it out of her. The reason she is still there is because she can't afford to leave. He has taken most of the money out of their joint savings account and the individual savings account she had on her own. He has access to all of her accounts but she only has access to their joint checking account. He has his own savings account that she has no access too. She thinks he has taken all the money and put it in his account. He knows that without money, she won't leave him.
I could not believe my ears when I heard this. What kind of person would do that to another person? I then started to think about how she could let this happen to her. I am a firm believer in having a little money set aside in your own name when your are married. Things happen and unfortunately, marriages don't last as long as they used to. When I get married, I plan to have a joint checking and savings account but I also want to have my own savings account. I may want to purchase something that my spouse does not agree with or my spouse may want to purchase something that I don't agree with. By having our own separate savings account, we can buy what we want without causing a huge financial argument .
I've offered to help her but she has refused my help. At this point, I'm not really sure what to do. I'm really concerned that the only way she will leave that house is in a body bag. As harsh as it sounds, I think this is what it will eventually come to.
I've offered to help her but she has refused my help. At this point, I'm not really sure what to do. I'm really concerned that the only way she will leave that house is in a body bag. As harsh as it sounds, I think this is what it will eventually come to.
By the way, there is NO excuse for domestic violence!!!
