MUCH truth to what you say.   And too much of one without the other doesn't work well in large doses.  Me, optimist - Wife, realist.  She keeps my overzealous plans in check while I lift her from her realist world.  My strengths are her weaknesses and visa-versa.  What makes it all work is our END values.  Neither of us are spenders because we "value" financial security.  We both have conservative viewpoints.  Example - Can you imagine the daily/weekly battles that take place with you have a spender living with a saver?  Daily battles are eliminated if you both value the same end game and operate independently, accordingly.  We  may not do everything the same way - but we get to the same goal through two different ways sometimes.