A nice car, expensive dinners, owning a home -- back in 1996, these were just a few of the expenses that led Alisa Bowman to assume her now-husband earned more than she did. It wasn't until the couple moved in together that Bowman found out she was making substantially more money than him. What started as a few thousand dollars of income disparity then has now turned into her making quadruple what he earns. It was a period when her husband was unemployed for more than a year that really shaped their financial relationship. "During that time I became the chief financial officer of the household," says Bowman, the author of "Project: Happily Ever After." While it wasn't a title she wanted to take on, "it's definitely not one he wants, either." Now more than ever, studies show more women are the breadwinners in their marriages and romantic relationships: According to Pew Research, between 1970 to 2007, the number of men whose wives outearn them has increased from 4% to 22%. And, as we all know, the subject of money -- who handles it, and especially who makes more of it -- can be a minefield for a couple.