RSS
Home
The secret to a successful marriage?
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
According to a recent article in The New York Times, it’s being married to your financial twin. The fact that money plays such an important role in marital happiness really shouldn’t come as a surprise—after all, it is the number one reason why couples split up. But the simple fact of the matter is that we’re not all lucky enough to marry our financial twin. In fact, most of us marry someone with the opposite view of money.
My husband and I are the classic spender (him) vs. saver (me) pair. Over time, we’ve learned to compromise: he doesn’t buy everything his heart desires (although that $80 bicycle helmet he recently purchased is still bothering me—especially since I haven’t seen the guy on a bike in five years), and I’ve learned that it’s okay to make a frivolous purchase once in awhile (although my frivolous purchases are usually made at Target).
In the past, I interviewed money expert Olivia Mellan, and she assured me that you don’t need to have the same money personality as your spouse to be happy together. What you do need to do is talk about your finances openly and often. Some questions she suggested posing to one another include:
How were money matters handled in your family? Learning how your spouse’s parents budgeted (or didn’t) can help you to better understand the reasons he scrimps or splurges.
How important is money to you? For some, it’s the key to a happy life. For others, it’s just not that big of a deal. Discovering where it falls on your partner’s list of priorities is essential to understanding why he makes the financial decisions he does.
Do we have any debt or assets that I don’t know about? It’s amazing how many couples get engaged or married with no clue about the other's finances. This is the time to be honest, no matter how bad the news may be.
What’s our strategy to pay off debt? When you owe, paying it back can seem like mission impossible. Coming up with a manageable plan together can make the task seem less daunting. Talk to a financial planner if needed.
What are our goals? Discuss your hopes for your family—both short and long-term.
How will we meet them? Map out a strategy to make your goals a reality. Be realistic and meet every month to fine-tune your plan.
Related Articles:
Comments
