Finance

     One thing that will always come up in a marriage is finances. There are many questions to be asked about budgeting and spending. Often fights and disagreements begin because of money issues. Of all divorces 89% can be traced back to money issues (American Bar Association). So wouldn't it be great to know how to deal with these issues! 

    The first piece of advice that I think is very important is the importance of budgeting. Not only will this help you financially but it will also make sure that you and your partner are on the same page. Budgeting can also help you keep a record of your spending, needs, and savings so that you can be more prepared and know how much you will need for the next month. Dividing up where money goes to can also help people decide where to save in the budget if needed. There is a saying that says, "learn to manage money before it manages you." This is so important. Don't let money rule your life and affect your happiness. Budgeting can help with this and take off extra stress.

    The next piece of advice is the importance of having self-discipline and self-restraint when money is involved. This is especially important when first starting out to be more financially independent whether it is just you or you and your spouse. Show restraint in your spending and don't spend more than you have a need to. Maybe this restraint consists of buying a practical affordable car instead of the super fast cool looking one that wouldn't be ideal for you or your family. Of course sometimes it is okay to treat yourself or someone else but don't let it happen so often that it is a cause of stress for you and your spouse. Self-discipline can be very hard but it will help you financially and self-discipline is also an important skill that could help you in a lot of areas in your life. Budgeting can go hand in hand with this. It can let you know how much you can spend or use in other areas after your needs are taken care of. 

    This brings us to our next point of the importance of learning how to work hard and learn how to make financially smart decisions. The earlier on that one learns how to make smart financial decisions the better your chances are of being financially stable. We have so many resources that can help us with big financial decisions. Looking up on the internet, taking a class, and simply practicing how to budget are all things that can help us learn more about finances. You can also teach your children the things that you learn and discover so that they can be more prepared for life financially.

    Another important thing that can help take stress off financially in your relationship is having a savings especially in case of emergency. These savings could also go toward a house, car, or other smart important financial decisions. It is so hard to begin to develop savings especially when you are living paycheck to paycheck and it is putting a lot of stress on you and your relationship. This is where budgeting and self-restraint plays an important role. These tools can help you decide how much you can save and help you save more because you spend less on unnecessary things.

    Lastly, talk about these things with your significant other! Make sure you are on the same page. This can help avoid contention between the two of you and help strengthen your marriage rather than hurt it. I've said many times before, communication is key, and this is no different for finances.