The Cost of Marriage

More and more young couples are getting married nowadays. The wedding itself is a wonderful thing, the aftermath, however is not. Most of these couples end up living with their parents after finding out that they cannot make it in the real world. I personally know 4 newlywed couples between the ages of 19 and 23 that fall into that category.

I fully support getting married at whatever age a person so chooses, but I do not support getting married when the couple is just not financially ready. There is a lot more to getting married and being successful in that marriage than finding your dress and getting the hall and church you want. As you plan your wedding you need to plan your finances for after your wedding. If you have to take out a loan to afford to pay for a car that's one thing, but if you have to take out a loan or file bankruptcy to clear your debt to just put gas in your car, you are not ready to be married.

Most young couples that I have talked to don't worry about debt, they believe that if they get in too much debt that bankruptcy or their parents will be their way out and they can move back home. These children don't have any idea what anything costs, what their bills will be each month, or what a mortgage payment will be on their home. One couple I talked with had already declared bankruptcy and had their home foreclosed one 1 year after being married.

To avoid this happening to more young couples wanting to get married I've devised a list of what common bills for a house hold are each month. If you do not make enough money to cover these bills, get yourself a better job, and save up money for a while before you get married.

All of these numbers are an average for a crossed the country.

Mortgage Payment: $1600
Car Payment: $279
Credit Cards: $300
Car Insurance: $190
Groceries: $400
Health Insurance: $200
Electricity: $80
Natural Gas: $80
Phone/Internet/Cable: $110
Water/Sewage: $20
Gas/Misc: $600
Total: $3859

This is just an estimate, if you can cut corners on anything feel free to do so. The best advice I can give you if you still wish to jump into the adult world of marriage and debt is to live within your means. If you cannot afford something, whatever it may be, give it up.