The summer months are fast approaching. Along with the the trips to the beach, the number of weddings increase in the summer. If you are getting married soon, or thinking about it, you need to talk about your finances with your soon-to-be spouse. Money is a definite issue of contention in most marriages. If you've made mistakes in the past, you need to let your spouse know before you get married. It is also good to set up a budget and ground rules before you get married.

It is easier to make your marriage work if you combine finances once you are married, but you shouldn't do it before then. If you are living together you should both contribute to the household finances, but you should have your own checking and savings accounts, and your own debt. Do not cosign with a significant other that is not your spouse. This will protect you in case you split up.

Money can be a stressful topic, but if you talk about it and set up guidelines that you both follow, it shouldn't be a big deal. It is important to compromise and work together. Listen to each other and respect each other. You can work it out, so that this does not become a big issue in your marriage.

• Don't Let Money Ruin Your Marriage
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• Your Significant Other and Finances

Splurging is fun. It is fun to spend money a little recklessly every now and then. So how do you decide when and how to splurge? One rule you should set for yourself is that you will not go into debt on this splurge. If you end up using your credit card to cover a few expenses at the end of the month, then you went into debt on the splurge. There is nothing wrong with saving up for the splurge, whether it is a massage or a trip to Europe you should enjoy it.

If you like video games or the latest tech gadgets you can budget for these splurges and save up for the more expensive ones. If you love to shop the sales you may plan and save your money so that you get great deals on your clothes. The key is to plan and save for the splurge. Additionally it is detrimental to deny yourself all splurges, because it means that you are more likely to break your budget because you feel too deprived.

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It is important to be prepared for the unexpected. This one of the reasons it is important to have an emergency fund in place. No one plans on having their car break down or that scare with cancer where the tests run iwell over a thousand dollars. No one plans to lose their job or for the furnace to go out. All of these things cost money. You should plan for emergencies by saving at least one thousand dollars until you are out of debt. After that you should save three to six months of salary to cover other unexpected expenses. This money is not used for anything but true emergencies.

You should also be planning and paying for regular maintenance of your home and car. You know that you will eventually need to replace your roof and your appliances. You can save for this in a sinking fund. This money that you set aside each month to cover the bigger expenses that you know are coming. You should also pay for the regular upkeep and maintenance on your car. It is important to guard against emergencies by properly caring for your things.

Once you have your finances under control, it is generally a good idea to help others. Nearly every financial expert recommends that you give some of your money away each month. Some recommend it on the karma aspect, others thinks that it helps you to be wiser in your financial choices. Generally it feels good to reach out and help others. There are a lot of causes that you can choose to give to. You should only give as much as you can afford, but you will be surprised at the benefits that come from giving to others.

If you are not in a position to donate money at this time, you may consider giving your time to helping those less fortunate. The Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs are always looking for volunteers. You can also mentor someone professionally or volunteer at a soup kitchen or an adult literacy center. There should be an opportunity that fits your interests and comfort level.

• Financial Choices and Your Twenties
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The cost of health care is expensive, even with insurance you may be surprised at how much you pay out of pocket. It is dangerous to go without insurance, because one accident or one major illness can bankrupt you financially. You will have enough to worry about without worrying how to pay for all of your medical bills. At the very least you should have high deductible insurance to cover those emergencies.

If you do have insurance you can do more to use it more effectively. You can save money by shopping around for doctors and hospitals. You may find that certain labs will run the tests for less money. You can also save money by taking care of yourself now. This is a great way to save money in the future. By exercising and eating well you can save yourself money and pain in the future.

• Save Money on Your Health Care
• Self Employed Health Insurance
• Choose Your Health Insurance

When people are in their twenties, one of the last things most people think about is retirement. Honestly, it's so far away that it is easy to push to the back of your mind. Plus you are just starting out in your career and you may be struggling to pay your bills and get out of debt. However you can greatly increase your retirement savings by beginning to save now.

You should make it a goal to start saving for retirement as soon as you have a job. If you start the habit while you are young, you will be able to consistently save, and you won't even really miss the money that you put aside. If you haven't started saving yet, you should start now. You can take to your human resources adviser to learn what options are available to you through your job, and you can talk to a financial planner to learn what to do in addition that.

• Begin Saving for Retirement
• Retirement Accounts for the Self Employed
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It's important to take time to adjust your withholdings when your income changes. This can protect you from owing any money to the IRS at the end of the year. Often people fail to realize that something changed the income that they will be reporting at the end of the year. When you get a really good bonus, your not going to sit and think about the tax implications. It is much more fun to plan out how you are going to use the extra money. It takes just a few minutes to check and adjust your withholdings so that you do not get hit with surprise taxes at the end of the year.

If you take on an extra job or you freelance you will need to consider that tax implications as well. A new job or a raise is another time to make the adjustments. If you have a major life event such as getting married or having a child you should take the time to make the see if you need to make any changes as well. If the change is a permanent one you should adjust your budget and increase your retirement savings.

• Adjusting Your Paycheck Withholdings
• Finding Money for Retirement Savings
• 5 Reasons to Budget

Now that the tax rebates are actually arriving, how are you spending them? Are you stimulating the economy like President Bush hopes that you will? Or are you being more conservative, and saving it or paying off debt? Join the discussion in the forums and weigh in.

Are you prepared for a possible recession? The best way to prepare for a recession is to have an emergency fund in place, and to work on getting out of debt. These things can help you deal with the rising prices and possible job losses. It is also a great time to get ready to purchase a home. While falling home prices aren't great for current home owners, especially those who want to sell, now is a great time if you are a first time home buyer. You need to make sure that you are really ready before you make the purchase.

• Before You Buy a House
• Prepare for a Possible Job Loss

If you are getting ready to graduate from college it is time to begin that job hunt. You may have already begun sending out resumes, attending recruitment fairs and contacting everyone you know to find the perfect job for yourself. Your first job out of college is an important one. It sets the base for your other jobs as you grow your career. It is important to keep this in mind as you begin to negotiate your salary and benefits.

You will want to achieve a nice starting salary, but it may be worth taking a position with a slightly lower initial salary if it puts you in a better position for advancement and salary growth. You should also consider the benefits that you will receive and include them in your comparison of different salaries.

If a job offer is slow in coming, do not be discouraged. When the economy is slowing down or in a recession, it usually takes a little longer to find a good job. In the meantime you may consider taking a part-time or full-time job that is flexible in hours so that you can continue your job hut. Additionally you may need to widen your job hunt and include other areas that you may not have considered before.

• Looking for a New Job
• Understanding Your Employee Benefits
• Make the Most of Your Paycheck

The tax rebates are coming a week earlier than scheduled and on a much quicker schedule. This is an attempt to stop the economic slow down sooner. If you had your tax refund direct deposited into your account then your rebate should be deposited as well.

What do you plan on doing with your rebate? It is important to take advantage of this extra money. If you have debt that you need to pay off, you may want to apply it to that debt. Or you may want to start your emergency fund. It is okay to have some fun as well, but the majority of the money should go where you need it the most.

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• Emergency Fund