The freeloading ends today. My husband declared it right after his promotion, announcing that from now on, we’d have separate bank accounts. I agreed. And then, on Sunday — his sister came for dinner. She looked at the table, looked at me and said: “About time he stopped…”

“I really think this new financial independence is going to be the best thing for our relationship,” he said while leaning against the counter.

“I agree that it will make everything much clearer for both of us,” I replied with a small, mysterious smile.

After I dropped Chloe off at her preschool, I went to a bank where Garrett did not have an account and opened my own private savings and checking lines.

I sat in the quiet office of the bank manager and felt a sense of relief as I signed the documents that would keep my hard earned money under my own control.

I immediately logged into my hospital’s employee portal and changed my direct deposit information so that my next paycheck would go into my new account.

When I got home, I spent the afternoon rerouting every automatic payment for the mortgage, the utilities, and the childcare to my private funds.

I was careful to ensure that Chloe’s life would not be disrupted, but I made sure that Garrett no longer had access to the money that provided his comfort.

I also prepared a professional looking folder that contained every bank statement and spreadsheet I had created during the night.