How to Never Fight With Your Spouse About Money

Since we started Breakthrough, one of the most frequent questions we have received from our clients is ‘how do I get my spouse on board with finances?’

What an incredible question!

The question is incredible because people inherently know that their partner can be one of the biggest attributes or hindrances to a financial plan. The reality is that if you and your partner can agree on your goals, dreams, and vision you both become an unstoppable force.

Not only are you working to improve your financial health, you’re working together to reach your goals, and in doing so you actually improve your relationship along the way.

Win, win, win, right? So how do you begin to remove money as a source of stress and allow it to be a tool to help you build your financial dreams?

Below are six simple rules that any and every couple can adopt which undoubtedly will help improve financial health, strengthen relationships, and if practiced will get those who adopt them closer to their dreams.

Have Unified Goals

Many times, spouses aren’t on the same page with how money should be saved, invested, and spent because they are unclear about what their long-term and short term goals are. If you’re unclear about what you and your spouse’s financial goals are, carve our one-hour and have an honest and open conversation about what you both really want.

Make a list, print it, and frame it. Make these goals visible so you and your partner are reminded of them daily and can continue to work towards them as a couple.

Have Simple Purchasing Rules

One of the best mechanisms you and your spouse can adopt for a better financial health is to have simple and basic rules regarding how money gets spent. Boundaries are important, even with money. One suggestion is that any purchase over $100, is a purchase you both make decisions about cohesively.

If one partner agrees and the other disagrees about a purchase, look for workarounds. In this day and age, depending on what you want, you are very likely to be able to find workarounds that both get you exactly what you want for a fraction of the price. You might just need to be creative and creativity comes from having valued mutual perspectives; such as those from your partner.

Fine Ways to Partner with Your Spouse

Once you and your spouse are unified in your goals and dreams, talk about ways that you can partner to achieve them. Get on the same page about your strategy for growing your wealth overtime as you work towards your goals.

Perhaps you both are interested in how to grow your income. Have a conversation and develop a strategy for how you both can bridge your skills and talents to work towards that goal as a team.

Don't Hide Money - Not One Dollar

The key to being united with your spouse regarding finances is to have an open and honest relationship regarding money.

Trust is the essential foundation of any and every single relationship. If you and your spouse do not feel like you can trust one another with money or purchases, consider setting boundaries which would improve that trust overtime.

Trust can be built and it can be built quickly. Commit yourself to always being truthful, open, and honest about every single financial decision and purchase you make. Make those decisions together as a team.

Value Your Spouse's Input

Your partner is the love of your life. This also means that their values, attributes, behaviors, and beliefs are all things that you love and appreciate in them. While their attitudes regarding money might be different than yours, they are half of the vote in every situation.

Your partner’s perspective is just as valuable as yours. Hear them, understand them, and work towards solutions together as a team. Again, get creative in the solution and look for workarounds.

Give You and Your Partner Some Grace

Improving your financial health, is quite literally like improving your physical health. It takes time. Some days you’re on point. Other days, you feel like you’ve drifted. If you and your partner are unified in your goals and your strategy, every single day you will both get better at adopting long-term sustainable practices to grow wealth and reach your dreams.

But give yourself and your partner some grace in this process.

We all drift, we never do things perfectly, but when we unite and do things together, we become an unstoppable force overtime.

Where Do I Start?

Breakthrough Innovations

Breakthrough innovations is a company that provides financial insight that drives outcomes. We work with people, couples, and business owners to help them achieve their dreams. We help support them in budgeting services, financial mentoring services, strategic plan development, and analysis where appropriate to help them make data-backed decisions.

If you’re interested in learning more, BTI would love to hear from you.

Send us an email at breakthroughinnovationsbti@gmail.com or check out BTI through the link below.

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