Someone on another post mentioned giving their wife a certain amount out of each pay check so they would have some money of their own to do with however they wanted. I thought that a good idea and plan on doing that.
Don
On two counts it is a good idea to give your wife some money that she can call her own...
1) She will appreciate the gesture and it is good for her to buy some of the things she wants without reference to you. To give her regular funding for this will be very much appreciated.
2) Further down the track, (here in Aus anyway) we will need to prove that she has properly integrated into my FINANCIAL life (as well as my emotional one !!!) when we apply for her Permanent Residency.
Getting her a seperate account, registering both our names for Utility Bills, Council Rates etc etc proves this integration.
We have a cash card in Mings name into which I put an amount each Month, how she spends it is up to her...but like all Chinese Women, she is very happy to save some of it and watch it grow
She has a different, joint cash card that she uses for groceries and any household expenses. All of the bigger Bills, I pay myself from our Main Bank Account.