Dawn and Surfgirl
This week, Queercents interviews Dawn and her partner, “Surfgirl”. You may recognize Dawn from Queercents and Frugal for Life. Here’s what they both have to say about money and their long-term relationship.

How long have you been together?
10 years on Sept. 8

How did money first come up in your relationship?
Dawn & Surfgirl: I don’t think it ever formally came up at first, but in the course of shopping and talking about our future, we talked about our finances as well.

Checking and savings accounts: Joint or separate?
Dawn & Surfgirl: Joint

What is your worst habit around finances?
Dawn: I love to get SG gifts to please her whether it’s flowers or for her hobbies.
Surfgirl: When I want something, I go after it, until Dawn and I discuss the future impact of buying the item on our financial future.

Do you rent or own and how do you divide the bills?
Dawn & Surfgirl: Since we have joint accounts, all bills are shared and paid out of these accounts.

What is the best gift your mate has ever given you?
Dawn: To me the best gift was a priceless one, her unconditional love. Otherwise it would be her gift of giving me time on the computer to work on my websites.
Surfgirl: The best physical gift was our wedding rings, which in turn gave me another gift of knowing that I have someone in my life that truly loves me.

Did your parents ever disagree about money? How did they handle it?
Dawn: I think there were disagreements about money, but they never discussed the problems in front of me, they seemed to wait until no one was in the room.
Surfgirl: Growing up on the Cape and being in a privileged family at the time, I can honestly say that we were never exposed to my parents’ difference about any finances. If there were some, which I am sure there must have been, we never knew and that may also have been due to the location and income class we were in.

What is your most significant memory about money?
Dawn: I think growing up the biggest impact was knowing that our family didn’t have a lot of money, and the occasional moments of embarrassment.
Surfgirl: I used to be very materialistic and got everything I wanted despite understanding the financial impact. Realizing that in these present years and being with Dawn, that what I learned about money is less important than the intangible things in life. I’ve been there and done that with the rich kid syndrome, don’t do it anymore….

What is success?
Dawn: Finding contentment no matter in what stage of life you’re at, whether you are rich or poor; in debt or have a substantial life savings.
Surfgirl: For me now, success is that I have found more peace and happiness in my life than I ever had in money.

What would you do with your life if money were not a consideration?
Dawn: I would be on the beach, breathing in the ocean air, with owning my own small piece of Heaven (land).
Surfgirl: I would still be doing things I did in my earlier years; traveling overseas, going to all the tropical islands I could, doing cruises, and would definitely owning a very nice beach-house and private beach.

What’s been your worst disagreement around finances?
Dawn: Whether we wait to buy it or buy it now, so we can possibly save money on a good deal.
Surfgirl: At times I am insistent on getting things that I want immediately instead of looking at it logically and practically. However, I am improving on that a little bit at a time. LOL

What are your plans for retirement?
Dawn: Would like to stop working before I am 70. But for now, we are slowly building up a nest egg together.
Surfgirl: I am retired and have a good savings.

How do you pamper each other?
Dawn: Occasionally buying her things that she has wanted and been patient about getting.
Surfgirl: Because she work’s hard and is diligent about keeping our finances in check, I treat her to trips within the USA that she wants to see, take her out to dinner occasionally, and she loves going to movies, so we go to them often.

About:
Dawn works for a communications company, enjoys relaxing on the patio with the one she loves, drinking Dr. Pepper and dreaming about where they would love to live. Dawn also loves going to see good movies.

Surfgirl is retired and enjoys her life with Dawn immensely, including having to keep her satisfied with Dr. Pepper and making future plans with her about where they are eventually going to permanently live. Surfgirl is continually learning the lessons from Dawn through example, which is about living below their means and still being happy and comfortable.

If you would like to be interviewed for future installments of Money & Mates, then please contact nina -at- queercents -dot- com.