You may have heard that one of the leading causes of divorce in America is money. Some statistics are different than others, but ultimately what it comes down to is that money causes problems – especially in marriage.
If you tend to go back and forth with your spouse about money, you’re not alone. As a credit union we want to be sure our members are doing the best they can with the resources they have. Below are a few tips to consider if you’re trying to get on the same financial page with your spouse:
Budget together: Anytime things change with your budget both spouses should be involved. An increase or decrease in income, a new monthly expense, or just some rearranging should always involve a conversation about the budget.
Negotiate: You won’t agree on everything when it comes to money, so be willing to compromise so that both partners can agree on the final outcome.
Get help: If your finances are too much for the two of you to handle it may be time to get help from a financial counselor. You are always welcome to come to the credit union and talk things over with one of our Financial Services Officers – we would love to help you look for opportunities to get back on track.
Choose a bill payer, but share financial responsibilities: Leaving one person in charge of managing the bills is a great idea to be sure that everything is paid on time, but just be sure both spouses know what’s going on with the bills. It’s important that you and your spouse both know how to deal with the finances. You both need to take part in creating and sticking to your budget, balancing accounts, and keeping up with receipts. Your marriage is a partnership, so you should work as a team to keep up with your finances.
Talk: Money is a difficult thing to talk about, but talking is key. Bring up frustrations when they occur and offer solutions that will work for both spouses.