Finances

How important is money in a relationship? There is this idea surrounding love that if your love is strong enough, it'll make it through anything. Though that is a sweet thought, and there can be truth found in it, how much better would it be if you didn't have to struggle all the time to make your relationship work?

One of the main stress causing issue in a relationship that leads to divorce is money and finances. If two people are not on the same page when it comes to handling money, there are going to be problems. Like always, find what works for you. But, make sure it works for you as a couple. Something like money should not lead someone to stop being with the person they love.

So, when deciding how to handle finances, what needs to be looked at?
I would say it is important to decide as a couple who will be working. Who is going to be bringing in the money? If both the husband and wife are working, how are the family roles going to be divided? Who is going to handle the bills? Is there a price cap that you need to talk to each other about regarding unplanned purchases?

Something that I found to be very surprising that was discussed in one of my classes was the results from a study that looked at the finances between households where there are two incomes versus one income. They looked at how much it cost for the costs of the additional travel expenses, childcare, and some other points. But, what I found to be surprising was that when they had the two incomes and the additional costs, the net income was actually lower (there were multiple households that were studied and this was found to be true to them all).

The couples that participated were shocked and alarmed when they realized all that they were giving up in regards to time spend with their children and families.

I bring this up because it is important to really take a look at the realities of our choices. Am I saying that couples with children should not have two working parents? No, I intend to have a career and children. But, it is important to see what the trade off is and what you as a couple and family are willing to do. It is important to be on the same page with each other and to have open communication about your finances. It is important to sit down and make a plan. Plan to save for that inevitable rainy day. Plan for those fun trips that can only happen when you save for them. Plan for the unexpected expenses of life.