But do you feel like the money you earn is &quot;yours&quot; then?<p>I think maybe that&#x27;s the disconnect. I don&#x27;t feel the money I earn &quot;belongs to me&quot;. Same for my wife. I don&#x27;t set my own priorities and budgets. We discuss them.<p>We&#x27;re definitely not perfect, and I&#x27;ve definitely bought things that irked her and vice versa. But the joint account means just that. Unless it comes in a birthday card or something, money goes in to a pool. I don&#x27;t keep a running balance, negative or positive in my head for my contribution.