"Happily ever after is not a fairy tale. It’s a choice."
Fawn Weaver
Do you and your partner struggle to talk about money together?
Did you know that one of the most common cause of marriage breakdown is money?
Eek! I know I am jumping straight in with the 'serious' stuff here but I've been thinking about money and relationships a lot recently.
I am in week 3 of a month of travelling through South Western Greece with my family. Having a bucket-list summer adventure for a month every year is a goal my husband and I had/have and this is our fifth year of doing it!
So how do we budget and afford it?
We’ve stayed in 5 locations so far, with 2 or 3 more to go. Our kids eat only adult portions when we go out (no half portions here!) and my husband and I have had to talk about money A LOT to make this trip (and our previous trips) happen. And it’s been awesome (feel free to email me if you are interested in our itinerary btw!).
Taking time to talk money with your partner is a game changer
Not just for your relationship but for the experiences and adventures you want from your lives and your future together.
Yet so many people shy away from talking about money, even with the person they love the most, often feeling ...
😔 Ashamed
😔 Frightened
😔 Not good enough
😔 Embarrassed
😔 Protective
😔 Shy
😔 Guilty
And a host of other reasons that are used to not talk about money. I read recently that people are more comfortable talking about sex than money. Err ...
So let’s break the taboo and start talking.
And who better to start with than your partner? I encourage you to:
🙌 Acknowledge and respect your differences.
Opposites attract after all, and it is very possible that you and your partner come from differing ends of the spectrum when it comes to managing your personal finances.
🙌 Be open, honest and share with each other.
What are your concerns, your joys, your worries or your dreams?
🙌 Focus on your mutual goals.
You are in this together right? You are a team! What are your aspirations and what kind of life do you want to live?
🙌 Be emotionally aware of your partner’s emotions, and yours.
Keep them under control, be patient and understanding. Money can be extremely emotive – be kind to each other.
🙌 And make a money date!
A regular one, so that chatting about money together becomes less of an uncomfortable chore and more of an exciting and joyful prospect.
Ultimately, COMMUNICATION is the key.
Keep an open mind, be practicable yet understanding, and remember that you are a partnership and a team. Creating foundations and focusing on mutual goals together can be motivating, reassuring and great fun – really!