If couples started out and stayed on the same financial page, would they live happily ever after?

Just in time for Valentines Day are two noteworthy books about money, couples, friction, fun and love.

Janet Bodnar, editor for Kiplingers, Personal Finance, discusses couples spending habits, tolerance for risk, keeping joint or separate accounts and more, in her recent article, 5 Sources of Financial Friction for Couples.  This very interesting, research based piece is adapted from Janet's book , Money Smart Women.

Written along the same vein as Freakonomics, authors Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson take a lighthearted approach to money and couples and the struggles they face, by using humor along with real life stories in Spousonomics: Using Economics to Master Love, Marriage, and Dirty Dishes.  The authors suggest that couples look at their marriage as "their own little economy" and they go on to give examples in relating how economics can help couples have more fun and more love in their relationship.

Econonomics and romance? Sound crazy? Financial planning for lovers?

 One reviewer wrote of Spousonomics, "A fun and breezy read for anyone who wants to be both smarter about economics and wiser about love."

And who does that NOT apply to?

Check out Spousonomics and decide for yourself.

photo by Cindi Matthews