A Day Late and a Dollar Short – Dealing with Finances in Your Marriage
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Money, or lack of it, has been the cause of much turmoil within marriages. In remarriages, finances (much like baggage), are a bigger issue. Not only do you have to deal with normal concerns over marital finances, but throw in step-children, ex-spouses and previous marriage baggage and the circus begins.
Tweet ThisAs with most things in your marriage, communication will be the key to dealing with it. Discuss what your finances are and what you want them to be. I recommend having a budget so that you can keep track of your spending and also plan for the future. Talk to each other about any money that needs to be spent as a consequence of your previous marriages. Be open with each other, but do not let finances be something that comes between you. This will take a lot of work, because money (or lack thereof) is a powerful thing. If you let it, it can tear you apart.
Remember that the goal of everything you share in your marriage (including finances), must be to lift your marriage up – to make it better. Anything that works against your marriage, you need to take care of quickly. If you are arguing about finances, don’t let it continue. If you need to have separate bank accounts to work it out, by all means, do that. I recommend living debt free or as close to debt free as possible. The stress of debt hanging over your marriage can wear you down before you are even aware of it. Dave Ramsey, the author of Financial Peace, has some great advice for living debt free.
Are you dealing with financial stress? What tips do you have that helped your marriage?
