You may feel like all you and your spouse do is argue about money, but maybe that’s a good thing…

In a recent blog post featured on the Clear Bankruptcy Blog, reasons were presented for why a couple may want to discuss money issues.

Although you may be able to push money problems under the rug for a little while, eventually the troubles will pile up enough that you can no longer ignore the issue.

Read more on why it might be a good idea to tackle money issues head on: Why Couples Should Argue about Money.

There’s no denying it, cheating isn’t flattering and can bring some pain, but there are also some cheating excuses that leave us all scratching our heads: Did they really just use that as their reasoning for cheating?

While I don’t think it’s wise to try having the best of both – or many – worlds, here are some lame lines you shouldn’t use after getting caught:

1. “I’m reformed now”

People thought you couldn’t have a much more beautiful couple than Jude Law and Sienna Miller, but that was before Law got caught having a fling with the couple’s nanny. After committing a common adultery cliche in 2005, Law told The Daily Telegraph that he didn’t regret cheating because it helped him change his ways. Of course, Miller quickly started a new relationship of her own – by hiring a http://www.totaldivorce.com/blog/debbiedivorce/?p=90 Movies are a great way to unwind from our hectic lives, and they often highlight some of the same challenges we face. We see ourselves becoming heroes or falling in love, just like the characters on the big screen.

Movies can even make divorce look glamorous. I’ve highlighted some pretty good movies that I think do a good job showcasing different aspects of divorce.

1. The War of the Roses (1989)

Starring: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito

After a whirlwind romance, the Roses start to build their fantasy life: a prosperous career for Oliver (Douglas) and the perfect material possession to fill their dream home. The fantasy doesn’t last long and after filing for divorce, neither Oliver nor Barbara (Turner) want to give up the dream home they have built together. Their divorce battle grows heated. Throughout the movie, Oliver’s divorce lawyer (DeVito) discusses an important lesson learned on how far a divorce can go if you let it.

2. The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Starring: Owen Kline, Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney and Jesse Eisenberg

It’s 1986 in Brooklyn, NY when Bernard (Daniels) and Joan (Linney) divorce, driven apart by jealousy. The couple’s two teenage sons are left to form new relationships with their parents and quickly take sides. Walt (Eisenberg) stays with his father, and Frank (Kline) lives with his mom. The movie spins the tale of how the parents’ dysfunctional lives affect their two sons.

3. The First Wives Club (1996)

Starring: Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton

After meeting up again at a college friend’s funeral, three divorced women decide to take revenge on their husbands who left them for younger wives. Since these women helped their men climb the financial ladder of success, they decided to hit ‘em where it hurts. Although I don’t recommend getting nasty with revenge, justice can make for a good laugh.

4. Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Starring: Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine

This story follows the lives of four African American women as they deal with the ups and downs of life. Although these women are successful in their careers, they have trouble with love because they pursue stereotypes and bad habits. These four friends’ lives take different directions, but they find that their friendship is what helps them through the challenges of relationships, careers and family.

5. Stepmom (1998)

Starring: Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon and Ed Harris

After Jackie (Sarandon) and Luke (Harris) divorce, their children have to deal with the fact that their father has found another woman, Isabel (Roberts). The children, Anna and Ben, follow the example set by their mother and give their second mother a lot of trouble. But when Jackie is diagnosed with a terminal illness, the family must figure out a way to coexist. The movie spins the tale of a blended family learning to accept one another.

6. The Whole Nine Yards (2000)

Starring: Matthew Perry, Bruce Willis and Amanda Peet

Although Nick ‘Oz’ Oseransk (Perry) isn’t happy in his marriage, he’s in for a shock when he finds out his wife is hiring a hit man to get rid of him. Enter Jimmy The Tulip (Willis), a Chicago hit man, who ratted out some members of the mob as a bargaining chip with law enforcement. Although this comedy is about an unsuspecting man getting caught up with both sides of the mob, it highlights the twists and turns of marriage and divorce.

7. One Fine Day (1996)

Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney

Two divorced parents meet during a morning mix up with their children. Jack (Clooney) and Melanie (Pfeiffer) end up spending the day together when the mix up causes the children to miss a class field trip. In the beginning, the two assume each other has the same negative stereotypes as their exes, but by the end of the day, they are brought together as they work to watch the children and keep their jobs. A cute comedy about leaving the past behind and preparing for love in the future.

8. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

Starring: Robin Williams, Sally Field and Pierce Brosnan

Daniel Hillard (Williams) gets hit with it all: He loses his job, gets divorced and isn’t granted child custody. In order to spend some time with his children, without his ex-wife (Field) knowing, Hillard dresses up like an old nanny and interviews for a position to care for the children. The plan works, until Hillard meets his wife’s new beau, Stu (Brosnan). A cute comedy for adults and kids alike about family life after divorce.

9. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Starring: Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep

Ted Kramer (Hoffman) always let his work come before his family. Joanna (Streep) soon gets tired of coming second and leaves Ted with their son, Billy. Ted must learn to balance his career, while taking care of the home, his child and himself. Just as Ted is getting it all figured out, Joanna comes back for Billy. But Ted refuses to give up his so the two head to court. This drama, focusing on the battle for child custody, won five Oscars.

10. Along Came Polly (2004)

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Ben Stiller, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Debra Messing

Reuben Feffer (Stiller) had the perfect life planned out with his new wife, Lisa (Messing), until he found her cheating on him during the honeymoon. Devastated, Feffer returns home and runs into a former classmate, Polly (Aniston). Feffer tries to date the free-spirited Polly, but Lisa shows up, asking for Feffer to take her back. This quarky comedy shows how life doesn’t always end up the way we planned it, as Feffer decides whether to keep on the uncertain path with Polly or go back to his dream with a cheating wife.

Source: IMDB

But the rich and famous who aren’t troubled with money problems, are still setting record divorce settlements.

We may not be able to accurately list the top 10 most expensive divorce settlements because of undisclosed, high-profile cases, such as the 2009 divorce settlement of Mel Gibson and Robyn Moore which is supposedly the most expensive in Hollywood history; however, the following divorces still boast some of the most staggering amounts:

1. Rupert and Anna Murdoch

Although their divorce was finalized more than 10 years ago, it’s still the most expensive divorce settlement in history. The divorce cost the media tycoon $1.7 billion dollars, including $110 million in cash. Rupert and Anna had been married for 32 years and had three children together. According to the 2009 “Forbes 400,” Rupert, 78,  is now worth $4 billion, making him the 132nd richest person in the world.

2. Adnan and Soraya Khashoggi

Reports state that the Saudi billionaire’s divorce settlement from his United Kingdom born wife reached $874 million. The couple married when Adnan was only 15, and during the 13-year marriage, Soraya was the international arms dealer’s business partner and mother of the couple’s five children. Adnan was once reported to have been worth $4 billion but has lost his billionaire status.

3. Craig and Wendy McCaw

Only a year after selling his cellular company to AT&T for roughly $11-12 billion dollars in 1994, Craig found himself paying Wendy $460 million in a divorce settlement.  Craig and Wendy married in 1974, after she tutored him at Stanford University. The settlement, which was mostly Nextel stock, rocketed Wendy to a spot on Forbes’ 400 Richest Americans in 1998, but she fell off in 2000.

4. Robert and Shelia Johnson

Robert Johnson made history in 2000 by becoming the first African American billionaire. Robert Johnson co-founded Black Entertainment Television with his then-wife Shelia Crump. Three years later, the couple divorced.  After receiving a divorce settlement of $400 million, Crump became the first African American female billionaire. She is now valued at $400 million and is married to the judge that presided over her divorce. Johnson is worth $550 million, according to Forbes.

5. Roman and Irina Abramovich

Roman and Irina met in the 1990s, before Roman made his fortune in oil. Roman is also Chukotka governor and owner of the Chelsea soccer club. The couple spent 15 years together and had five children. In 2007 Roman settled his divorce from Irina for $300 million and four homes in the United Kingdom. His divorce lawyer was able to have the divorce finalized in Russia, which saved him millions. If the divorce had been finalized in Britain, Irina would have been entitled to half the assets. Forbes named Abramovich the 15th wealthiest man in 2008 with a fortune of $23.5 billion.

6. Michael and Juanita Jordan

In 1989, Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy married after Jordan signed an eight-year contract with the Chicago Bulls for $25 million. He was also earning $30 million a year in endorsement deals, making his total earnings $350 million during the marriage. After 17 years of marriage and three children, the couple divorced.  She received $168 million in the divorce settlement. In 2009, Forbes estimated Jordan’s wealth at $525 million, making him the fourth wealthiest African American in the country.

7. Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey

Neil Diamond and Marcia Murphey married in 1969 before the release of his golden record Touching You, Touching Me. By the 1970s, Diamond made about $14 million a year, as one of the most successful musicians. Murphey filed for divorce in 1994, citing irreconcilable differences. She received $150 million – half of Diamond’s fortune -in the divorce settlement. The settlement averaged out to about $5.5 million for each of the 25 years the couple was together.

8. Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving

Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving met when she auditioned for his file Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In 1985, the couple married after Spielberg’s success with the first of the Indiana Jones movies and ET. The couple divorced just four years later. During the divorce, Irving successfully contested that the prenuptial agreement they signed on a napkin wasn’t valid because she didn’t have legal representation. She was awarded $100 million, about half of what Spielberg was worth at the time. Spielberg is currently estimated to be worth $3 billion.

9. Madonna and Guy Ritchie

The couple met in 1999 through Sting and his wife, Trudie. They were married in December of 2000, and eight years later, after the birth of their son, the couple filed for divorce. Many remember the recent tabloid stories about Madonna’s supposed affair with Alex Rodriguez and Ritchie’s “free man” attitude. Whether the rumors were true or not, Madonna payed Ritchie somewhere between $72 and 90 million, including the couple’s home and pub in England. The couple disputes the different amounts, but currently, it is the largest payout by a female divorcee.

10. Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison

Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison met in 1977 and married in 1983. By 1989, Ford was one of the highest paid actors, making $7 million for Presumed Innocent, and he was making $20 million a movie in 1995. The couple divorced in 2004. Mathison received about $85 million in the divorce settlement and part of any future profit from the films Ford made while the couple was married, including the Indiana Jones Trilogy and The Fugitive.

Source: Forbes and ABC

1. Marry for Money by Trace Adkins

“She was pretty
She was smart
She was witty
Yeah she had charm
Cupid shot me
That’s what got me down the aisle
But that match made in heaven
Went straight to hell
Split up our possessions
Put the house up for sale
And I learned a lesson I won’t be forgetting
The next time around

I’m gonna marry for money”

2. How Am I Doing by Dierks Bentley

“Well, how am I doing since you did, what you’ve done to me
I can’t lie, I sometimes cry, when I think of how it used to be
I keep my friends with me, I stay busy, and I don’t get much sleep
Baby that’s how i’m doing since you did, what you done to me

Well now wait one minute, I failed to mention, those tears I cried are tears of joy
Because it was no fun, there under your thumb, and now that we’re done
I’m getting right, every night, with every single, every loving girl in sight”

3.  Strange by Reba McEntire

“Strange, talk about luck I woke up
And, the sun was shining
Strange, I ought a be in bed with my head
In the pillow cryin over us
But I ain’t, ain’t love
Strange

Got half a mind to spend my whole paycheck
On one of those dresses
Those strapless black ones
That are so famous for teaching lessons
Dropped by his place
Picked up the rest of my things
He’ll tell me I look good
I’ll laugh and say yeah isn’t time

Strange”

4. You Won’t Find This by Carrie Underwood

“Did you check the tires
Put gas in the car
Don’t think you need too much
Cause you ain’t gunna get that far
Did you pack the good times
Don’t forget a map
Just in case the route you take isn’t there to take you back

You can hold any girl that you like
Fall in love when it’s easy at night
But you’ll wake up wondering why
She ain’t ever something better
When you’re lost and you’ve run out of road
Find what I already know
In the end close is all there is
But you won’t find this
No, you won’t find this”

5. Best Days of Your Life by Kelli Pickler

“‘Cus I’ll be there, in the back of your mind
From the day we met ’til you were making me cry
And it’s just too bad, you’ve already had the best days
The best days of your life

Ain’t it a shame?
A shame that everytime you hear my name
Brought up in a casual conversation
You can’t think …straight

And ain’t it sad?
You can forget about what we had
Take a look at her and do you like what you see?
Or do you wish it was me”

6. Stand Beside Me by Jo Dee Messina

“He left me cryin’ late one Sunday night outside of Boulder
He said he had to find himself out on the road
I guess when love goes wrong
You’ve gotta learn to be strong

So I worked two jobs
And I moved three times
I ended up south of Memphis, workin’ down in Riverside
I may not be so lucky in love
But the one thing I’m sure of

I want a man that stands beside me
Not in front of or behind me
Give me two arms that want to hold me, not own me
And I’ll give all the love in my heart
Stand beside me”

7. You’ll Think of Me by Keith Urban

“Ever since you found yourself in someone else’s arms
I’ve been tryin’ my best to get along
But that’s OK
There’s nothing left to say, but

Take your records, take your freedom
Take your memories I don’t need’em
Take your space and all your reasons
But you’ll think of me
And take your cat and leave my sweater
‘Cause we got nothin’ left to wheather
In fact I’ll feel a whole lot better
But you’ll think of me, you’ll think of me”

8. Love Don’t Live Here by Lady Antebellum

“Well this heart of mine has been hardened like a stone
It might take some time to get back what is gone
But I’m movin’ on and you don’t haunt my dreams
Like you did before oh when I would curse your name

Well I heard the news that you were back in town
Just passin’ through to claim your lost and found
But I’m over you and there ain’t nothin’ that
You could say or do to take what you did back
Well you got nerve to waltz right in
And think what’s mine is yours again

Cause I’ve been doin’ fine without you
Forgettin’ all the love we once knew
And girl I ain’t the one who slammed that door
But now you say you’ve changed your thinkin’
But I ain’t got a heart for breakin’
So go and pick your bags up off my floor
Oh cause love don’t live here anymore”

9. I’m Moving On by Rascal Flatts

“I’m movin’ on
At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me
And I know there’s no guarantees, but I’m not alone
There comes a time in everyone’s life
When all you can see are the years passing by
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone

I sold what I could and packed what I couldn’t
Stopped to fill up on my way out of town
I’ve loved like I should but lived like I shouldn’t
I had to lose everything to find out
Maybe forgiveness will find me somewhere down this road
I’m movin’ on”

10. A Little Too Late by Toby Keith

“It’s a little too late,
I’m a little too gone,
A little too tired of just hangin’ on
I’m letting go while I’m still strong enough to
It’s got a little too sad,
I’m a little too blue
It’s a little too bad
You were too good to be true
I’m big time over you baby
It’s a little too late

There was a time,
this heart of mine,
would take you back every time
don’t you know
It’s been two packs of cigaretts
a sleepless night
a nervous wreck, a day ago.
Now you ain’t got no business coming around
I’m closing up shop
Shuttin’ us down”

Lyrics from cowboylyrics.com