Almost every human on this earth is in the pursuit of “true love”. That one person that you can rely on, call your best friend and spend the rest of your days with – your soulmate if you will. Well, the reality is much less fairytale-like than that.
Once you do find someone that you fall in love with, the logical next step would be marriage for most people. It may sound simple, but marriage brings about a ton of changes that most couples wouldn’t have even thought about beforehand. This, of course, includes monetary matters which is one of the biggest changes of them all.
What Comes After Marriage?
The world revolves around money, it always has; so, it’s no surprise that it plays a major role even in matters of the heart. A lot of relationships, including that of a husband and wife, are often severely impacted by money. In fact, according to a survey, financial problems are one of the topmost reasons why couples got divorced. Another survey found that even though couples didn’t always fight about it, money was definitely one of the most intense topics of the household.
Budgeting Can Save Your Marriage
As we said, getting married can seem like fantasy and you’ll feel like love can concur all. But pretty soon, couples find themselves plunged back into reality, often as soon as they get back from their honeymoon. Once you get married, several matters that were once individual need to be sorted to fit the lifestyle of both people – including money.
If you find that your marriage has been rocky due to monetary issues, one of the best solutions is budgeting. But if you do decide to give it a go, you both have to be committed to making it work. If only one person is serious about it, it can end up causing even more problems than there already are. It might sound simple enough, but the research by the US bank found that less than half the population actually follows a written budget. It might seem hard at first, but the long-term advantages are certainly worth it.
Trust & Honesty
Once you get started with a budget, both spouses have to religiously follow it. If you happen to go over the budget once in a while, it is crucial to inform your partner. It might seem extreme, but every penny needs to be accounted for since every penny has a purpose on a budget. Being honest about your spending will build trust in your relationship.
When one person hides their financial indiscretions or purchases from their partner on purpose, it is known as financial infidelity. This is a term that is often the butt of a joke, but it is pretty serious and unfortunately, quite common as well. You might think it’s a one-time thing, but it’s like a gateway drug. Once you do it, you can’t stop. If, and when, the other person finds out about all that unauthorized spending, this could end up being the reason for divorce.
Talk It Out
Just like with all other aspects of marriage, communication is key when it comes to monetary issues. Sure, it can be difficult and awkward, but it’s important for a healthy relationship. Just make sure that that’s not all you talk about!
If you think your spouse may be lying to you, just pay attention to the way they talk and how their behavior changes when discussing your finances. A guilty person is often more defensive and quicker to retort. However, it’s pretty tough to hide extra expenses anyways since every purchase is documented. As they say, money talks.
What Do You Want to Get Out of Budgeting?
Budgeting isn’t as easy as it sounds, it takes real commitment, effort, and self-control to go through with it. Constantly monitoring your every expense can be draining. So, instead of focusing in how difficult things are at the moment, it helps to think about the future. Every person with a budget has a goal/dream that they want to achieve. Reminding yourself of this constantly will make it much easier to follow through. Eyes on the prize!
