Cash poor

So, my wife and I share a bank account which makes it pretty tough to grab money without an explanation. She doesn't ask about my personal credit card though as long as it stays pretty consistent. This means that if I want to meet with a provider, I'm usually doing a cash advance on my credit card which hits me with all kinds of fees, even if I pay it off the very next day.

Any degenerates out there have any suggestions?

Return your bottles and cans

Open up a new bank account, in your name only. Fund the account via direct deposit thru your job. Explain to your wife you’re doing it to obtain the ‘welcome bonus’ that many banks are offering these days for folks who open up new accounts.

I’m lucky the wife and I have separate accounts… I can do whatever the fuck I want without anyone questioning finances. I suggest opening a separate account and putting some of your direct deposit into that account automatically. That’s the only way around it.

I.A.S. ....opening an account that's in your name only.Very low interest so no 1099. And same advice as investing, a little at a time but steady..Adds up faster than you think...good luck..

IAS - how bad are the fees? What you are currently doing might be your best option.

I think you are kind of fucked - because how are you going to justify to the wife why you are opening an account in your own name and putting less into the joint account. I don't think the "free gift" would pass the smell test with my SO. I think it sends up all kinds of red flags that you don't want to deal with.


Bugsy has the best advice so far.

Maybe do bank or money market internet account but no paper statements, everything online. With low balance and low interest rates, especially for bricks and mortar banks, no danger of 1099. And of course, if somehow discovered, just say it your version of Xmas Club or birthday fund you using to get her nice surprise gift

Slick had a great idea - many employers will allow you to do multiple direct deposits for your pay. Most banks DEFAULT to the paperless option. When I was married, I'd either "pocket" some cash from each ATM "spending money" withdraw, and/or I was fortunately traveling a lot for work, had a company credit card and could take cash advances from it. Between my personal car mileage or per diem meal expenses, it would balance well against my cash advance paybacks.

Find a regular who will accept Amazon or Visa gift cards.

Get a SB or three in a rotation, make sure they have Venmo, and it's only a 3% fee to use a credit card on there

You could take a small loan from your 401k, put it in an online bank account that doesn't pay much interest, open a PO Box for your debit card to go to (and any privacy statements etc they send, and pay back the 401k loan through payroll deduction.

Worked for me when I had a ball and chain.