My boyfriend and I have been together for about two years. It’s been an interesting journey since we hardly knew each other before deciding to drop everything and travel the world. We’ve visited around 15 countries and spent every moment together, either exploring by day or sharing accommodations at night.
Because of our unique lifestyle, we quickly merged our finances, at least for our travel expenses.
Here’s what I appreciate and what challenges me about our financial situation:
### What I Like
**His Trust in Me with Our Shared Account**
To avoid the hassle of tracking who owes what in different currencies, he periodically transfers money to me, matching my contributions. I then manage our communal funds and update him monthly. This system works smoothly, and he trusts me completely with his money, which feels great.
**His Business Acumen**
My boyfriend owns a cattle ranch and has an impressive collection of art and coins. He’s excellent at buying low and selling high, and I’ve learned a lot from him. I recently invested in cattle as well!
**His Bargaining Skills**
While I like saving money, haggling isn’t my forte. He excels at it and has even scored us a fantastic deal on land in Guatemala.
**His Responsibility**
Given that he’s older, he has a much larger estate and is debt-free. He was wise enough to only go into debt for appreciating assets, like a house. I can tolerate someone in debt but not someone irresponsibly accumulating more.
**His Generosity**
Though we cover our own expenses, he often buys me small gifts like t-shirts or earrings when he sees I like something but hesitate to buy it. He’s also thoughtful with others, striking a balance between generosity and indulgence. I’ve started donating 10% of my online income to charity, inspired by his kindness.
### What I Don’t Like So Much
**His Impulsiveness**
He has a bit of a shopaholic streak. Recently, he bought fake “caviar” from a Russian street vendor in Estonia, which turned out to be nasty fish pâté. His tendency to buy unnecessary items, especially when space is limited, can be frustrating.
**His Expensive Lifestyle**
Growing up with luxuries like private jets and yachts, he prefers hotels and restaurants over camping, even when camping would be perfectly fine. We split travel expenses 50/50, which means I sometimes feel like I’m wasting money when we could be camping.
**His Lack of Financial Caution**
Having always had more than enough, he struggles to understand the importance of frugality. He often opts for expensive, mediocre restaurants rather than simpler, cheaper meals. When I try to explain, he just brushes it off and calls me cheap.
**His Wastefulness**
I’ve tried to instill some conservation habits, like turning off water while brushing teeth or limiting AC usage, but old habits die hard. Now that we have a home, I’m on a zero food waste challenge to offset some of his wastefulness.
### All in All
We balance each other out well. I can sometimes be too frugal, overlooking opportunities to enjoy our travels. He reminds me to seize the moment and make memories, which helps us make a great team.