Bankrate: You met your husband when you were a struggling actress subletting his New York City apartment. And now you've been married for 17 years -- an eternity in Hollywood terms. What's the secret to your marriage?

Patricia Heaton: I think we've learned how to fight, that's the thing. That's an art. And I wouldn't even call them fights anymore. It's more like learning how to air your grievances or your differences or learning how to communicate. It's being able to identify what the underlying issue of your feeling or your argument is. So that's really it. And you really have to learn to appreciate the differences and the differences that a person brings to the relationship and how that benefits the family as a whole

Bankrate: Near the end of "Everybody Loves Raymond's" successful run, there was a hold-out amongst the actors -- excluding Ray Romano -- for more money. Everyone was subsequently given profit-sharing and more of a piece of the action, which was quite a considerable package. Do you think you are financially set now?

Patricia Heaton: I might be if I didn't live in California; then I could completely not have to work again, but I think if we stay here, with this high cost of living, I can't retire.

My husband and I are trying to produce TV shows and movies, so we put a lot of money into our own production company and carry the overhead of our company with offices, development of projects, paying writers, buying scripts and all that. But if I completely retired from all of that and didn't do any more of that, yeah, I would have peace of mind and could walk away from it all. But I don't think I can say that if I keep wanting to accomplish what we are hoping to accomplish.

Bankrate: Is it difficult raising money for projects nowadays?

Patricia Heaton: It is a real challenge. I love developing projects, but I don't love raising money. I love producing. Sometimes I just want to let go of all this -- that's another stress component in my life, but there is something in me that is a workaholic. I've always worked and paid my own way. I don't know any other way of life.

Bankrate: Have you saved for a rainy day?

Patricia Heaton: Oh yeah. You have to in this business. Look at what the writers (went through) with the strike and the trickle-down effect of the strike.

Bankrate: You've got four boys to put through college, too.

Patricia Heaton: I'm hoping they don't go to college (laughs). I would love to take the money we've set aside for their education and just take a nice long trip somewhere. We've put money away for them -- their college funds are already set. But look, if one wants to be a hairdresser, a mechanic, a grip, and they don't want to go to college, I'm not going to force them. I want them to be happy in whatever they're doing.