MarketWatch: Sticking to Your Vows......On the Poorer Part

[marmar]

Hitched to the economy
Divorce rates drop as couples realize it's cheaper to stay together

By Marty Orgel


SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The recession and economic turmoil is creating a new class of casualties: Married couples who can't afford to get divorced. In these tough times many people are finding it's cheaper to stay together, even when they can't stand each other.

"The reason that the economy has such an enormous impact on divorce is that most people in the middle-income brackets are getting by on whatever income they have. They're just getting by," said Bonnie Booden, a family law and divorce attorney in Phoenix.

A major factor in the divorce downturn, Booden said, is divorced couples have to establish two separate households with current funds -- a prohibitive factor when you're looking at divorce in tough economic times.

Booden said one out of every two clients is seeking consultations because they can't afford to get divorced. They want to know what other options they might have.

"I tell them about the process, about the cost, and what a reasonable outcome might be. And once they hear the cost, and especially how you have to duplicate two households on the same money that currently funds one household, they try to think about some other options," she said.

Some clients have split up bedrooms and continue to live in the same house, she said. Some split child-care duties so they don't have to deal with each other and live that way until they can figure out what to do. "And I've had people who just throw in the towel and get divorces anyway, creating financial ruin for themselves," she said. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Divorce-rates-drop-couples-stay/story.aspx?guid=%7BED35EC99%2D9273%2D4A10%2DB437%2DA177F4EC4D4D%7D

[Edweird]

1. Nothing new there. Like the song says "it's cheaper to keep her".

It's Cheaper to Keep Her

Jim Liban, Junior Brantley


It's cheaper to keep her
It is cheaper to keep her

When your little girl makes you mad
You get an attitude and pack your bag
Five little children that you're leaving behind
You're gonna pay some alimony or do some time

It's cheaper to keep her (Cheaper to keep her)
It's cheaper to keep her (Cheaper to keep her)
See when you get to staring that judge in the face
You're gonna wanna cuss the whole human race
It's cheaper to keep her (Cheaper to keep her)
Too much to leave that little girl (Cheaper to keep her)
It's cheaper, it's cheaper, cheaper, it's cheaper
It's cheaper, it's cheaper
It's cheaper cheaper cheaper cheaper, yeah

You didn't pay for two dollars to bring the girl home
Now you're about to pay two thousand to leave alone
See another woman out there, you wanna make a change
She ain't gonna watch you
'Cause you won't have a damn thing

It's cheaper to keep her (Cheaper to keep her)
Cheaper to keep her (Cheaper to keep her)
The time you get to looking at the judge in the face
You're gonna wanna cuss the whole human race
It's cheaper to keep her (Cheaper to keep her)
Cost too much to leave (It's cheaper to keep her)
It's cheaper, cheaper, it's cheaper, it's cheaper
It's cheaper, cheaper
Cheaper cheaper cheaper cheaper, yeah

If you decide to roam
and leave your happy home
You gotta pay the house note
The child support, your insurance
Alimony, morgage 1, morgage 2

It's cheaper to keep her
It's cheaper to keep her...

It's cheaper, to keep her!