Frustration

We can’t seem to get our finances in order. The moment we think we have things under control; we are dinged with a surprise Late Fee. Late fees are not the norm in our household… but for the past few months neither one of us are noticing due dates. We have been struggling to keep up not because we don’t have the money but because we don’t seem to actively keep on top of it. It is so frustrating. I think Brent is on top of it and vice versa. Most things are taken care of promptly and then something creeps in. I don’t mind calling creditors, explaining a mostly true situation, and getting the fees reversed (and the lack of fees on the account makes them believe the mostly true tale)… but what does that say for us? Have we all of a sudden become irresponsible card holders because we are now parents? Is this a normal thing new parent’s struggle with? Our mail is piling up on our guest bed but everything else in the home is in order. The baby is well. Our marriage is strong. So why is it a constant struggle? I would venture to say it is a lack of communication between Brent and me. We don’t like verbalizing “rules” or assigning jobs. We don’t like admitting to one another we aren’t on top of it, that we are inconsistently organized. I don’t want a family where the wife does the bills or the husband does the bills… but now I am starting to understand assigning that heinous task to an individual. That still doesn’t make me want to volunteer.