This is nothing new. There is no need to sugarcoat it. It is completely normal. Your relationship is suffering due to money issues. It can be a number of things. You are far too deep in debt, you haven’t learned how to budget, your mate has a different perspective from yours when it comes to finances, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that these issues are creating tension and arguments between you two.
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So what can you do? What steps can you take to bring balance to the situation and deal with all the stress without it affecting your relationship?
Attack the problem, not your mate. You got to see the bigger picture. If you blame everything on your mate, it will be harder for both of you to come up with solutions, and all the energy you could be spending on fixing the problem will be wasted on fighting. It’s better to think as a team!
Set a budget together and stick to it. You both can determine how to spend your funds. Reduce your expenses in practical ways. For example, instead of eating out three times a week, cook at home and treat yourselves just once during the week.
Good communication. Consult your mate before making any big decisions about money. Have this point of view about your income: this is family money (instead of: this is my money). Agree on a specific amount each of you can spend without consulting each other.
Live within your means. This, of course means avoiding unnecessary debt. Be careful especially when using a credit card. It so much easier to go crazy if you got a credit card in your hand. You can start buying things you don’t really need and hundreds can become thousands before you know it. Be wise and careful!
Save up for what you WANT. Yes! Like when you were a kid. You wanted that new doll everybody was talking about. And you wanted to get it for yourself. So, even though it took you one whole month of saving your lunch money everyday, you could afford that doll. How did you feel when you got it? Happy. Just that. You weren’t worried how you were going to pay for it later on. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel the same as a grown up? It feels even better! So, keep out of trouble by saving for things you want.
If you are already in debt, make the necessary adjustments. It might take a while, it will for sure take effort from both of you, but you can fix your financial situation without destroying each other. You got to be wise though.
And if you aren’t in financial trouble yet, don’t wait until things get out of hand! Take these steps and keep out of financial trouble. All it matters here, is that you and your mate can make a great team to keep your finances in check and live a stress-free life.
