Antecedents and Consequences of Newlyweds' Cash Flow Management

This study focused on exploring the process and outcomes of cash flow management among randomly-selected newlywed couples. Descriptive data suggested that family cash flow management is much more complex than revealed in previous studies asking whether families have a budget. Three dimensions of family cash flow management --- budgeting, financial record-keeping, and goal-setting and analysis --- were performed with varying frequency by newlyweds. The most consistent antecedents that predict the frequency with which couples perform these tasks were indicators of their willingness to manage, even after their ability and need to manage were controlled. Performing the recommended cash flow management tasks more frequently appears to have few objective benefits, at least in the short term, while one dimension, record-keeping, did predict greater satisfaction with the family's financial situation