4 tips to help marriage survive long term unemployment

Adjust your routine to fit your new budget. For instance, if you usually go out for "date night" once a week, still plan to have date night together, just change how you celebrate your time together. Instead of going out for an expensive dinner, eat at home—make a chocolate fondue and feed each other chocolate dipped strawberries, or go out for a walk in a nearby park or preserve. Think of ways to spend time together without incurring much cost.If you don't have a budget, when unemployment strikes it is time to put one together. If you do have a budget, it needs to be revised to reflect your new financial reality. A budget offers a guide to follow and creates spending priorities. Rank your regular expenses. Things at the bottom of your list may have to be cut. Things like groceries, mortgage (rent), and utilities should be ranked at the top, while things like your gym membership, the kids' piano lessons, and other things you are used to doing may need to be cut. It's not easy to cut back, but it is necessary. Remember it is a temporary situation, and the changes will help stretch what income you have coming in. If you've never followed a budget, seek the help of someone who has.Don't ignore the gorilla in the room. Not talking about unemployment and its effects on your household won't make it go away. Discuss unemployment not only with your spouse, but with others. It is part of life. Robert L. Leahy, author of Keeping Your Head After Losing Your Job says: "Talk about unemployment as something that happens to anyone and that it is part of the difficulties in life. Share your own experience or those of others who you know."View the list »
To see your marriage through a season of LTU good communication is the key.

Unemployment newsletter

According to a Money Magazine survey, couples fight about money twice as much as they fight about sex. In today's economic climate long-term unemployment (LTU) is a financial trial that leads to divorce for many, yet for others it is merely a bump in the road. Of course, these conclusions depend somewhat on the health of the marriage before unemployment hits a household, but for a stable, healthy marriage these 4 communication tips can help see your marriage through a season of LTU. Communication is the key.

Related topics

Advertisement
View the list
  • Don't ignore the gorilla in the room. Not talking about unemployment and its effects on your household won't make it go away. Discuss unemployment not only with your spouse, but with others. It is part of life. Robert L. Leahy, author of Keeping Your Head After Losing Your Job says: "Talk about unemployment as something that happens to anyone and that it is part of the difficulties in life. Share your own experience or those of others who you know."
  • If you don't have a budget, when unemployment strikes it is time to put one together. If you do have a budget, it needs to be revised to reflect your new financial reality. A budget offers a guide to follow and creates spending priorities. Rank your regular expenses. Things at the bottom of your list may have to be cut. Things like groceries, mortgage (rent), and utilities should be ranked at the top, while things like your gym membership, the kids' piano lessons, and other things you are used to doing may need to be cut. It's not easy to cut back, but it is necessary. Remember it is a temporary situation, and the changes will help stretch what income you have coming in. If you've never followed a budget, seek the help of someone who has.
  • Adjust your routine to fit your new budget. For instance, if you usually go out for "date night" once a week, still plan to have date night together, just change how you celebrate your time together. Instead of going out for an expensive dinner, eat at home—make a chocolate fondue and feed each other chocolate dipped strawberries, or go out for a walk in a nearby park or preserve. Think of ways to spend time together without incurring much cost.
  • Negativity begets negativity. Be careful not to assign blame while you discuss cuts and adjustments. Instead, it is important to look for positives. In his book, Robert L. Leahy says: "Reinforce any move forward. Complement the person for efforts made to advance the job search -- such as informational interviews, job applications, reaching out, etc." 
View the list
Suggested by the author:

, Unemployment Examiner

Donna Sundblad's years of editorial writing reflect her multifaceted interests and life experience. She cultivated a deeper understanding of the importance of diet and exercise early in life as an assistant manager in a woman's fitness spa where she helped clients reach their weight loss goals...

Advertisement

Today's top buzz...