Another beginners question

[Robert Ramsdell]

As I suggested before, read the tutorial and concepts guide
(http://www.gnucash.org/docs/v2.0/C/gnucash-guide/index.html).

On Sun, 2007-01-21 at 21:46 -0800, FamiliaFrazelle wrote:
> i'm still trying...
> 
> If i wish to have several Income accounts, one for my wife and one for 
> myself, say, can i pay some of the expenses directly from say, her account?

You shouldn't, unless the expenses are actually paid when the income is
paid (such as a deduction from a paycheck).

> 
> When i try to do this, in the first place i input her income as Opening 
> Balance.  If i place it in the Income col., and in Transfer, place:  
> Equity:Opening Bal. for the amt. of her salary, the Balance col. appears 
> in red and as a negative number -- very strange. 

Her salary should be a transfer from the Income account to some asset
account (such as savings).  Then the Income and asset will appear as
positive.  The expense then would be recorded as a transfer from the
asset account to the relevant expense account.  Think of it this way -
Any money you actually have somewhere should be tracked in an asset
account.  Income accounts are used to track money you receive.

Robert