10 Ways to Handle Debt, Build Strong Marriage

3. Have a wedding you can afford. Do not start a life together by using a credit card to pay for a wedding that is out of your budget.

4. Avoid credit card debt. The best rule of thumb is: "If you can't pay for something with cash, you can't afford it."

5. Get one or two credit cards and stick with them. Use them for several purchase each month and pay them off immediately. Building a long-term payment history with one or two credit cards is an important factor in your credit score.

6. Each spouse should hold a credit card in his or her own name to build an individual credit score.

7. Pay as much on credit card balances as you can over the minimum each month. If you receive gift money, a bonus, a second job or a tax refund, use this to pay off debt. The faster you pay it off, the quicker you can focus on saving and getting ahead. You can even make micropayments multiple times during the month to pay off your balance faster. Eat a meal at home and immediately apply the money you saved to your credit-card balance.

8. Make a plan for paying bills before they arrive and decide who will pay them. If you have separate accounts, know which account pays each bill.

9. Reduce your debt-to-credit limit ratio. This will help improve your credit score. Your monthly debt, including your mortgage, should not exceed 35% of your gross income.

10. Differentiate between wants and needs. Then simplify your wants. It is easy to get caught in the trap of wanting more than what you have, trying to "keep up with the Joneses" and looking to material things for happiness. But this will put you on the fast track to increasing your debt. Savings and assets help build financial security and increase the odds of a strong, happy marriage that lasts.

-- Reported by Bill Hardekopf of LowCards.com.

Bill Hardekopf is the chief executive officer of LowCards.com, which compares and rates more than 1,000 credit cards. He is the co-author of "The Credit Card Guidebook."

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