How to Make Money and Marriage Work Together
Surveys have suggested that money is one of the
significant reasons for marriage breakups. At the outset, it seems very
fascinating that you can easily survive your marriage, but as years pass you
by, you suddenly realise that you do not have enough money to stay you afloat.
Even though you and your significant other are
compatible and get along with each other very well, money is the subject where
you may have clashes with each other. One of you may be frugal while other can
be prodigal.
It can be sometimes quite challenging to establish a
better coordination. Most of the couples avoid money talk because they find it
distressing and they are more likely to get into altercation whenever they do
so.
Well, believe it or not, you will have to start money
conversation between you if you do not want to spoil your marriage just because
of monetary issues. Here is how you can make money and marriage work together.
Evaluate your bank accounts
First off, you should get your bank statements to see
your spending habits. You should know how much money is going out. Do not
forget to take into account your joint account. Make sure that you know which
expenditure belongs to whom so you can find out who spent how much.
Of course, this does not mean to jump down the throat
of your partner. Instead, you should find out how you can cut back on those
expenses. The more smartly you spend money, the better it is. However, a rule
of thumb says that you should have a joint account to cover common expenses.
For instance, whether it is grocery or buying
furniture, you should use your joint account for these expenses and as far as
it is about personal expenses like clothing, cosmetics, haircut, and the like,
you should meet these expenses from your personal account.
Create a budget that works for you
Create a budget that you and your partner both agree
on. Budgeting will help you track your expenses including personal expenses.
Set a spending limit for each month and make sure that you do not go beyond
that.
The ultimate goal of budgeting is to help you save
money for your long-term goals. For instance, if you are looking to buy a car,
you will have to arrange a down payment.
It can be difficult to set arrange such a big amount
outright and if you are to take
out bad credit car finance with direct lenders, you will have to
arrange a bigger down payment. With the help of budget, you can track your
spending and stick to your saving goal.
Understand your personality differences
If you want to stop fighting over money, you need to
understand that everyone has a different personality and different mindset
about money. For instance, you may prefer to spend with cash while your partner
may like to spend money with credit card.
You may love to track your everyday expense while your partner may lie to do it weekly or
perhaps not at all. First off you need to understand that you cannot expect
your partner to be like you. You should instead focus on how you can achieve
your goals.
Is there any way that can work for you? Each of you
should choose the money management approach that works for you.
Do not hide your spending
Since you both have an important role in achieving
your financial goals, make sure that you both are working in that direction. Use
budgeting apps so all of your transactions are recorded there. When you make a
purchase, make sure that you tell your partner.
Although you do
not need to tell it every time – especially when they can get to know through
the app – it will break hesitation about money talk. You will feel more
comfortable. Even if you have spent more than a set limit in a particular
month, you should not worry about. Be honest about everything.
Money and marriage can work together provided you agree
upon the plan you have chosen for yourselves. You will have to be honest about
your spending behaviour and stop fighting shy of discussing money. The more you
are open about money conversations, the better it is.
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