Photo by: Daquella manera

For a couple who enter a marriage without discussing their financial expectations and goals, there might be a few unexpected bumps along the way.

Balancing marriage and financial issues can be daunting.  Should she be allowed to spend $100 on a new handbag without discussing it with her husband first? Should he be allowed to buy sporting tickets to go to a game with his friends without discussing it with his wife first?

If one or both partners is used to spending freely, having to discuss purchases with his or her spouse once they get married, can feel restrictive and unfair. There are many decisions to make when joining into a marriage: should you keep your separate bank accounts or open only joint accounts? Some couples allow themselves a certain amount of discretionary spending, for instance: spending over $200 should be discussed.

The picture becomes more complicated when taking into account whether the couple has a dual-income or if one is a stay-at-home spouse. If one partner isn't working while staying at home to raise children, how should discretionary income be budgeted for? Each partner will need some money to spend freely in order to feel independent.

Financial infidelities can come in many flavors, including hiding a purchase or getting cash back when making purchases and pocketing the change. Another way couples commit financial adultery is by fibbing about purchasing something and telling their spouse that they've had it all along.

One particularly heinous example of financial infidelity is having a secret bank account, which many agree might be grounds for divorce. Another might be having a secret credit card.

A recent blog post on YouReveal.com, "Are You Keeping Money Secrets", discusses how confessing spending or financial secrets can be liberating. Getting to the bottom of why you are keeping the secret is a critical step in coming clean.

Keeping secrets is risky business in more ways than one. It can ruin your marriage, but it can also ruin your health. Confessing anonymously online is a great way to start the process of telling the truth without fear. Once the ball is rolling, confessing to your spouse could be the next step.