I’ve heard that money is the number one cause for divorce. You don’t have to be married long to see how finances can create sticky situations in marriage. That’s why our latest Twitter Tuesday Profile started her blog, Couple Money and started tweeting from @Elle_CM. Elle is a freelance writer and also works temporarily as a recruiter for the US Census. She and her husband just bought a town house in Raleigh, North Carolina where they live with their 7-year-old cat.
OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?
@Elle_CM: I always liked writing and sharing what I learned with my family and friends. I saw blogging as extension of that and a way to chat with others on topics I enjoyed.
I started blogging in 2006, but it wasn’t very organized. I basically shared news items from the web that caught my eye. I started focusing on personal finance in July 2007 and been blogging about it since. I basically wanted to improve our finances and thought I could share my perspective as a working college student with others. It kind of grew from there. I started Couple Money in September 2009 and I’m now focusing personal finances for couples working towards financial freedom.
I had heard about Twitter from other personal finance bloggers, but probably didn’t get started until I saw how handy it was as a tool to communicate. I think I was watching a video post from Gary Vaynerchuk when it finally clicked for me. I tried different things out and found that I did enjoy it. I have Seesmic app on my phone to keep me in touch with the community while I’m working.
OODC:Money can be a sticky situation for a lot of couples– how do you make sure it’s not that way in your marriage?
@Elle_CM:I think being on the same page in terms of goals is huge and addressing money in terms of goals helps take any tension out. Every person has a different style with money, so forcing someone to adopt your method is really ineffective.
I think of a good example of this was when we decided we wanted to buy a house. We both wanted to buy one, but how we raised the money is a bit different. My husband is a natural saver, so he cut back on his expenses while I gravitate towards more income and found some temporary jobs to grow our savings. We then both looked at our budget and agreed to sustainable trims to finances.
OODC:You’ve been married a few years now. Is there anything you wish you had known about money and finances back when you first got married?
@Elle_CM:I wished we had been more aware of online banking. We had banked with Bank of America and had a horrible time with them. It caused quite a bit of stress and frustration to be on the phone with them to resolve things. I find ING Direct a much easier bank to work with and it has definitely helped us to automate our finances effectively.
OODC:Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?
@Elle_CM:That’s tough because I notice who I chat with changes up. Some people I love chatting with right now are @mattjabs, @manvsdebt, @enemyofdebt, and @financialsamura. I think they selflessly promote others and really are interested in building a community versus just a blog.
Thanks again to @Elle_CM for opening up in this week’s Twitter Tuesday Profile. Want to be considered for an upcoming profile? Just tweet me.