Money problems in a relationship don't merely crop up between couples with cash flow difficulties -- even the very wealthy are not invulnerable to the money issues that plague marriages. Monetary discords that can quickly sour a marriage, say relationship counselors, and here are the three most common scenarios:

1. The spender vs. the saver

If one spouse spends excessively while the other is extremely tight with money, the drastic difference in their views on money can breed mutual acrimony and create major problems in the relationship.

How to spot the couple: The extreme spender lives paycheck to paycheck and doesn't think twice before making expensive purchases. The spender's easiness with money often means picking up the tab when out with others as well as running into credit and debt problems. In contrast, the extreme saver doesn't like purchasing something unless it's absolutely necessary or there is a substantial discount. They can be so frugal and cautious with money that they will go out of the way in order to save small sums of money, such as walking to an outlying store instead of the nearest one to purchase groceries which are priced minimally cheaper.

2. The money monopolist

In the marriage, one party (usually the family provider) completely controls the couple's funds while the other spouse is kept in the dark about the financial situation. The reason why financial secrecy and control damages the marriage is because the imbalance in power over money can make the stifled spouse feel oppressed and bitter about the fact that he or she is not given equal say in how finances are handled.

How to spot the couple: One partner is always making nearly all of the major financial decisions and while the other spouse often has no idea how much his or her partner is earning, and has no access to check the savings inside their joint bank account.

3. The gambling addict

Compulsive gambling is a deadly marriage breaker. Compulsive gamblers frequently gamble with huge amounts of money in the stock market, risky investments or betting games like soccer bets. The non-gambling spouse suffers from the emotional strain and financial turbulences brought about by the gambling and may eventually seek divorce to get out of the destructive relationship.

How to spot the couple: The gambling addict continually spends large sums of money on betting or risky investments despite previous promises to quit gambling. Even when the gambler has lost every cent, he or she will often borrow more money to gamble. As soon as there is money, the compulsive gambler immediately returns to gambling to try to recoup losses. More likely than not, debts are not repaid and the family is often harassed by debt collectors.