For Love or Money? The Rules of Dating are Changing

I don’t know about you, but you’re much more likely to find
me riding my shiny rainbow unicorn headed off to whoop it up on Cupcake Island
than you are to find me balancing a checkbook or worse still, in some stupid
financial planning class (yawn).  The
thought of that practically dulls my glittery eye shadow.  I like living in my own world and the people here
really love me too. 

“Reality” and “finances” and other words of that type are
not allowed in my day to day vocabulary. 
I’m much more concerned with, “Is the lipgloss shiny enough?” “Are the
heels high enough?” and I buy jeans based on which one makes my booty look
better, am I worried about the price? Nah, notsomuch. 

So, imagine the pure shock and horror I felt when I first
heard that “Credit Score Dating” is a thing. 
Yes, there are new dating sites devoted to match potential dates up by
high credit scores.  If you didn’t just
throw up in your mouth a little, you need to process that concept.  I’ll wait… 

Gulp… what did you say??? Credit... Score….. Dating?  I about dropped my credit cards there for a
second…   I understand “Credit Score” and “Dating”, well
of course I know about dating! Boom, chicka, wa wa… Do I know about dating?   Yes I do thank you very much! *Cheesy wink
and air gun*

However, putting these two ideas together makes just about
as much sense to me as me putting a stick figure family on the back window of
my sassy, sexy, sports car.   

I’m middle aged, divorced and just now beginning to embrace
the flaws of said middle aged body along with the emotional shit sandwich that
life serves all of us from time to time.  
It’s tough enough for me at forty *cough, cough* to put myself “out
there” and wonder “Is he going to like me?”  “Is my rack big enough?” “Do my Spanx lines
show through my clothes?” …you know the normal checklist we all go through in
our head before we meet someone new.    Now,
I have to add one more item to the list to be self-conscious about?  You’re kidding me… right?  

When I first heard about this, I nearly marched myself straight
to the cat adoption shelter and cleaned them out, along with taking Ben &
Jerry home for a future of ice cream and kitties.   Credit
score dating was sure to be the end to my legendary career of dating, a fantasy
highlight video played in my mind of the great dates, crying ex-boyfriends
giving teary speeches and finally culminating with the ceremony where I retired
my high heels and lipgloss, waving goodbye to onlookers. 

Then I realized that I had a friend who could help me.  He’s a guy who works in the financial world
and yammers on all the time about balancing your checkbook and only buying
things you can afford and making a household budget, and a lot of useless, boring knowledge that I never paid much attention to.  

It then also dawned on me that if I didn’t make some serious
changes in my finances, that I’d no longer be able to party it up on Cupcake
Island and I wouldn’t have a unicorn, shiny or otherwise to get me there,
shitsticks!   Screw you, “Reality” – you
Sir, suck! 

I quickly hopped off my unicorn and gave my friend Britt a
call.  He sent me a lot of information
and even a video about how divorce can affect your credit score and some common
myths about relationships and credit.  He
teaches a financial planning class and also gave me some great information and
makes it easy, and almost fun.  Almost.   He made a difficult subject easier and I’m
going to share his suggestions with you about credit and divorce.  You can also email him directly at

bscearce@gmail.com for more
information or help. 

Credit
considerations when facing a Divorce

Divorce is an emotional separation that can greatly impact
your financial situation. Many people are financially fit until faced with the
economic consequences of marital separation. There are some steps you can take
to minimize money problems during what is already a stressful time.

1. 
Beware of using money or charge cards as a
marital weapon - if accounts are jointly held, you may end up paying the killer
bill.

2.  Stop charging unless you have the personal
income to pay it off in a timely fashion. Do not use credit cards to supplement
missing income.

3.   Save for moving expenses and legal fees. They
may be hefty and you should save and not charge or take new loans - unless, you
have a secure job and can pay them back as promised.

4.  Pay utilities on time - especially if they are
in your name. If you have to move and resume service, you may be asked to pay
security deposits if you have not been a good paying customer in the past. The
same goes for rent and mortgage payments. Many landlords request credit bureau
reports, and if the payment history is poor, they may refuse to rent to you.

 5.  Do not take out any new joint loans with your
spouse. If your spouse doesn't pay, you will have to pay the entire loan.

 6.   Write the credit card companies and send a
certified letter requesting a new credit card in your name only. According to
the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, they must grant you a credit card equal to
the current card's credit limit.

7.   Protect your divorce judgment. If the divorce
papers stipulate your spouse is responsible for the debts, unless you take
legal action to remove your name from the original contract, the creditor may
still pursue you in court.

8.  Base all new bills and living arrangements on
what you can reasonably afford on your own. Don't depend on child support or
alimony when making future income considerations.

9.  Read and understand any financial documents
BEFORE you sign. Make sure your attorney or financial advisor explains all the
consequences of a decision, including any penalties for early withdrawals and
income tax complications.

Here is a great video about Marriage/Divorce & Credit:

http://www.fox19.com/category/240225/video-landing-page?clipId=8559164&flvUri=&partnerclipid=&topVideoCatNo=95951&c=&autoStart=true&activePane=info&LaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=flv

So, before you go invest in an expensive new pushup bra with
all the “special effects”, and sexy Lebotins, go balance your checkbook first
and, then go knock ‘em dead on your next date!

Thanks for reading and go have some great dates!



Has your credit score come up in conversation on a date?  How do you feel about "Credit Score Dating"?   Please connect with me in the comments below, I'd love to hear what you think!

Smooches!

The Single Mom

So, what has The Single Mom been up to?  My world has been hectic with the boys, work and a lot of self improvement.  I've been working hard and things are looking up for me!   I've also been out on several excellent dates with a couple of men I really like, but just taking it as it comes.  They are both freshly out on "the market" again from new divorces, so I'm being more cautious than normal but having a lot of fun getting to know them.  Big smooches! 

Single Men Dating Online

It has become very hard now a days to find a partner in old-school mode because of the headaches the calendar of daily life. Once she has finished with the everyday work are surrounded by new works. This kind of situation a normal person is facing. Expect all of one day to finish something else in our lives or, sometimes, we get a lot of rest. Don't have the time to find your a special duty to your plans. At the same time, you are too eager to meet your dream partner soon. What they probably do in this position?, Men dating sites online are the best option for you. You can begin your search for your partner sitting right in front of a computer. You don't need to travel a distance to meet a friend. It's so simple that you can simply pull a Chair and carry on with it.

No matter what your age, height, weight and physical appearance, there are thousands of women out there eager to meet you and look forward to your company ... If the short-term oa reports are what you want. If you've found suddenly "on-the-market" after a report it is loose or are too busy with work to spend a lot of time looking for a woman to keep you company, online dating can open the door to the scene goes back to you.

The good news is that all you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started. The first thing to do is find an online dating site that fits your needs. There are great sites that offer many extras such as live video chat and even match up with the ladies with profiles and, also, a lot of sites that cater to special interests such as religious preferences, outdoor enthusiasts, gays, etc. you must choose one or two that will suit your needs. I don't recommend the free sites. The paid sites have a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied and the investment is small. A whole month costs less than a dinner and movie date.

The next thing you need to do is write a killer, but honest, profile and upload a photo recently but flattering yourself. Now you're all set. Start contacting women whose profile looks interesting to you and respond to any woman who has contacts ... and to do it right away ... but not on public holidays or on weekends. You don't want to appear so desperate. Don't give up after a month and that you will never find the right woman for you. New people join online dating services a day and at least half of them are many Lord, you want to meet you.