You were just starting to think you were the perfect couple. Then your “money personalities” reared their ugly heads.

Money is the leading reason American couples fight. But most people don't start disagreeing about finances until after they're engaged or married, according to author and money coach Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, of online payment service PayPal.

“Debt from credit cards, mortgage and auto-loan debt, these are all biggies for a lot of couples,” Khalfani-Cox says.

She breaks “money personalities” into categories: saver, spender, stasher, splurger, goal setter and dreamer.

It doesn't necessarily spell doom for a relationship if you're opposites when it comes to finances.

“It's very common for a saver to be paired up with someone who is a spender … ” she says. “You've just got to … understand why they are that way, and play to each other's strengths to reduce financial stress instead of letting it become a point of contention.”

The best way to avoid finance killing romance?

“I'm a big advocate for financial independence and separate accounts,” Khalfani-Cox says.


WORK FEVER: A recent telephone survey by International Communications Research found that about 45 percent of employees frequently show up to work sick, although managers believe only 17 percent do so. The survey included 2,000 adults and 150 senior executives at the nation's 1,000 largest companies.

Staffing company OfficeTeam, a unit of Robert Half International Inc., offers these tips to avoid having ill employees clock in:

♦Communicate expectations. Let staff know you prefer they stay home when they're sick to ensure a quicker recovery and avoid infecting others.

♦Set an example. Sick employees are more likely to stay home if you do.

♦Give options. Allowing employees to work from home can help them stay productive without spreading illness around the office.

♦Offer help. Bring in temporary professionals to keep projects on track when employees are out sick for more than a day or two.