In this time of New Year's Resolutions, I'd like to highlight a valuable relationship quality that sets a woman head and shoulders above the rest. We all know on of TRP's worst fears is a woman who's only after his beta (or alpha) bux. But what about a woman who actively wants to save her man's hard earned money, regardless of whether she's legally tied to it yet... A man values that you are invested in the "us" instead of just dating for presents, dinners, experiences and vacations. And what better way to show him your commitment than in dollars and cents?

Field Report: My SO makes a great deal more money than me. A self made man and entrepreneur coming from a childhood of poverty, he values his time and has always made good money doing what he loves. However he's always been a spender too. When we first started dating, I enjoyed his treating me and taking me out. I encouraged and enabled his spending habits. And why not, I deserved it right? If he wanted to spend his money on me that was his choice right? However as time went on I started to realize that this habit was in no way helping to create a future for us. He knew how to make money, he knew how to spend it, but neither of us really knew how to save and invest. From his parents (who raised 5 kids living paycheck to paycheck) he learned only how to spend exactly what he made each year. If he earned a lot that year, he would look for ways to spend it, taking us on romantic vacations until it was used up. From my parents (who were both doctors) I knew there was more to building wealth, so I started researching and reading about saving and budgeting. I shared what I was learning with my SO and he really took it to heart and got excited about acquiring better money habits. I helped him track is finances, budget and save. Several years later, he's completely changed his spending habits, built up a substantial savings and dramatically increased his net worth!

Even though we have separate finances, I am always looking for ways to save us both money. I buy groceries in bulk and make freezer meals. I'd rather cook a home meal than have him take me to a fancy restaurant (and he tells me my food is better anyway!). I help him keep track of his finances, tax deductions, and remind him to pay off his credit cards in full at the end of the month. It is actually very fulfilling to help him with these tasks, and he loves that I am like his own personal sexy secretary.

Frugality is also a trait I've witnessed and admired in my grandmother (she and my grandfather are still madly in love after 60+ years of marriage!) Note that being frugal is not the same as being cheap. My grandfather was a doctor, Chief of Radiology at a prestigious hospital, and they lived a rich lifestyle, buying boats and frequently enjoying cruises in the tropics. But my grandmother never once took advantage of their financial privilege. She was always trying to save on the little things and reduce waste, always looking for specials, sales, coupons and discounts. She even used to saw paper towel rolls in half because she didn't want to waste a whole one (this was before "select-a-size" or "green" campaigns, and her paper towels seriously looked like toilet paper rolls!) And living frugally doesn't mean you can't have fun either. In the winters they would share a ski house with 4 other families who knew how to have fun on a budget. The kids would make sandwiches and Grandma would stash a big pitcher of pre-made bloody marys in the snow along the slope for the adults to enjoy so they didn't have to buy expensive drinks in the lodge! Their lifestyle is a big inspiration to me for how to live a life balanced with wealth in all areas, especially in relationships, as she is my most RP style female role model.

If you're interested in upping your frugal girl game, some useful resources for me have been /r/frugal and /r/personalfinance. In fact the top posts at /r/frugal today is perfect for RPW! (Not sure how to properly crosslink... It's called "My Frugality Guide") What are your favorite frugal tips and tricks? How have you been able to help your man make the most of his money?

Edit: format