If Lady Gaga sang about personal finance

Although I listen only to the classical station, the Lady is ubiquitous enough that even I'mfamiliar with the song "Bad Romance."

One day when the tune was stuck in my head, I turned it into a personal-finance lesson -- and yes, I really do have a PF point to make after the initial silliness.

The following can be sung (if you must) to the tune of "Bad Romance." 

Ah ah ah-ah-ah

Ah ah ah-ah-ah

Moo-lah lah-ah-ah

What's your bad finance?

I want your debit, your NSF fees

Maxed out your credit card? Come sit next to me

Cash in retirement? Oh do it baby

Stupid money tricks are all that I need

Want a six-year auto loan,

Out-of-network ATMs

I want your drama

Your lack of a plan

Loans loans loans

I want your loans

Loans loans loans

I want your loans

 

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You know that I love debt

And you know how hot I get

When you are bad

Bad with your finance

I want your spending

Want your debt never ending

You and me could write some bad finance

(Oh-oh-oh-oooh and bad checks too!)

I want your bad debt

All your bad credit

You and me could write some bad finance

Buy rounds at the bar for all of your friends

Go on mad shopping sprees that just never end

Don't match that 401k, oh no

Spend it today 'cause we'll never get old

Rah rah ah-ah-ah

Fi-nal no-o-o-tice

Goin' to collections!

Want your bad finance

You know that I want you

And you know that I need you

('Cause I'm just not rich, baby!)

I want it bad

Your bad finance

 

Money changes everything

Well, that was fun, wasn't it? Time to get serious, though.

The love of money can ruin love -- nobody dates a miser for long -- but so can cluelessness about cash. Finances are the cause of endless friction in relationships. He spends money like it's going out of style. She goes shopping every weekend. We're never going to get out of debt if s/he doesn't quit throwing cash around. 

• Bing:What's Lady Gaga's real name?

If your current sweetie is lousy with money, take it from me: It probably won't get better, especially if you're an enabler who keeps doing all the heavy lifting in the relationship. Do you want your hard work undermined month after month by someone who smiles sweetly and says, "I know I should be better with money, but (insert excuse here)" and brushes off your concerns.

Do you want to be with someone who cannot believe in your shared goals strongly enough to contribute to them? Someone who lets you sacrifice so that s/he can continue to indulge in instant gratification?

And if you're the one who's bad with money, take this from me, too: It's neither charming nor endearing. You need to get hold of your finances before inflicting yourself on another person. Relationships can be fraught enough without introducing wild cards like overdrafts, repossessed vehicles or nightly calls from collection agencies.

Readers: What's your bad finance? Ever fought/broke up with someone over money? If you're coupled up, how do you keep from fighting about finances?

MSN Money columnist Donna Freedman blogs at Smart Spending and Surviving and Thriving.

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• 7 habits that keep you in debt
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• My worst financial mistakes
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• Are you carrying too much debt?