Whether you and your spouse fight about money constantly or you simply don’t see eye to eye from time to time, it is possible to work through your differences to come up with a solution you can both be happy with.
A tool that is very helpful and that I do recommend is this book fromDaves’ Ramsey. It will teach you things about how to manage different aspects of your financial life. This bookgoes in depth about topics related to budgeting, savings, getting out of debt and investing.
There are different ways that you can use to avoid arguments about money within your marriage. Below are 7 steps to follow that will help you stop fighting about money with your spouse.
How to Talk to Your Spouse About Money -Without Fighting
1. Commit to Working Together
Usually, fights between couples are because each party has different goals in mind. It doesn’t matter if you know a lot about money and your spouse knows nothing or the other way around. Unless you are committed to working together as a team, it is never going to work. It isn’t easy,it will probably take a lot of hard work and painful discussions but the end result is worth it.
2. Get Everything Out in the Open
As toxic as lies and secrets are to your bank account, they are even more toxic to your marriage.Set aside a block of calm, uninterrupted time when you can sit down together and get everything out in the open.Whether you’ve been keeping secrets from each other or you honestly don’t know where you are financially, it’s time tofigure out where you really at.
This means sitting down together and listingALL of your bills, expenses, and spending as well as ALL of your income and savings.You can’t figure out where you are going until you know where you are.
3. Get to the Underlying Issues
Earning and spending may be a simple addition and subtraction, but when it comes to finances, it’s usually much more complicated than that.You see, most fights aren’t actually about the dollar amounts (though they may feel like it at the time). Instead, they are usually symptoms of underlying issues that need to be addressed.
Whether your spouse is the spender or the saver, have you ever stopped to considerwhy? Perhaps they grew up in poverty and are scared to death of experiencing it again. Perhaps all of their friends had nice things but they didn’t, and they always felt inferior.Until you get to the real root of the issue, you’re never going to solve it.
Related: 5 Things to Consider when Setting a Budget
4. Choose a Plan You Can Both Agree On
Like I mentioned in number one,if you aren’t on the same page, it doesn’t matter how excellent your plan is, it is never going to work.Sit down and write out a budget you can both agree to. This will take a lot of compromises, and maybe even some anger and tears, but stick with it until you get there. You will.
5. Write It Down
As you work through your budget, don’t just agree on everything saying things like; “I’ll spend less “or “Okay, we will go out to eat less often” and call it a day. Phrases like those are too vague, and won’t make a difference.Write your budget out on paper and include exactly the amount that you will allow yourselves to spend in each area.This way you can track your progress and make sure you are actually sticking to the plan.
6. Review it Regularly
Speaking of tracking your progress, yes, you need to do that.A budget only works if you follow it.Following a budget doesn’t have to be boring or limiting. It simply means that you decide how much you will spend before you spend it, and then you do what you have agreed to do.Regular reviews (done together) will help you make sure that you are on the right track and that you are spending your money the way you want to, not just be letting it slide through your fingers.
Plus, the more often you talk about money, the less awkward it will be.
7. Learn to Appreciate Each Others Perspectives
Chances are, if you’re like most couples,you aren’t going to see eye to eye on everything. That’s a good thing!Also, it is common to not agree with everything but listening to your spouse’s perspectives could help a lot!
Instead of worrying about your differing viewpoints, use them to your advantage. Take the best of both of your perspectives and combine them into one awesome strategy that will really serve you well. Your relationship is unique. Your money plan should be too.
Following the 7 steps above your marriage could be on its way to a better financial path. Money and respect should be the center of a marriage and not fights about money.
Do you and your spouse fight about money? What issues do you fight about the most? Do you have any advice for other couples having fights about money? I would love to read your comments!
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