Marriage & The Ugly Truth About 'Money'

Monday, September 19, 2011, 10:53

Marriage and money are not mutually exclusive. It is an issue that will have to be discussed sometime or the other in course of your married life. The faster you manage to broach the subject the better it is for you. When we are in a relationship, money does not come up as an issue to fight about because you are not sharing your daily expenses. Living under the same roof and starting a family of your own will be the start of money problems in marriage. He will no longer offer to pay the bills for you and she will no longer save up to give you an expensive watch. Handling day to day expenses in a marriage makes money an ugly truth.

If you are having marriage problems due to money then it is absolutely normal. You only need to understand why money in marriage is such a bone of contention and then you will be able to solve the problems yourselves.

Why Money In Marriage Is An Relationship Issue?

You both are different individuals who have different priorities to spend your money. So you may think that redoing the curtains of your house is a pressing need while your husband thinks that a new television set is a priority. All you have to do here is distinguish 'need' from 'want'. If the curtains are old and torn then replacing them is a 'need'. If you have a reasonably good television then buying a new one is not.

Money in marriage becomes a relationship issue based on the kind of spender you are. If one is a spend thrift and the other a miser then marriage problems are bound to happen. You both have to make that effort to meet half way. You have to enjoy the money you earn but some saving are necessary for future security.

A married couple is bound to make joint investments and the major money problems in marriage originate from here. If you have a joint account and you withdraw cash from it indiscriminately then your spouse is bound to be annoyed.

The best thing to do is to have your individual accounts for daily use and make joint ones only for special investments like home loans. And once you create a joint account, you must never withdraw money from it without your spouse's knowledge.

Please do not go and swipe your husband's credit card happily for binge shopping. You can afford to be irresponsible with your own money but not with your partner's money. Before you blow his money on trivialities remember that it is hard earned money.

Men feel that they always know better when it comes to finances but that is a myth. You cannot question your wife on how she is spending her own money because it is her right to use it which ever way she pleases.

Use these relationship tips well so that money in your marriage doesn't become an issue.