Money can be great, but it can also add stress to a marriage. It is something all couples deal with. I know there are plenty of times that my husband and I disagree on how our money should be spent. We each have different things we thing are worth spending money on and we have learned to compromise. There are times were we should be saving instead of spending and it takes a lot of work to make sure we are both on the same page. Money is often a reason couples get in arguments or even divorce. WE do sometimes disagree on how we spend money on the children, big purchase and more, but we have come to the conclusion to communicate about these things before doing.
My husband and I were raised differently so we have sometimes had different ideas on money. We have been better about saving for those unexpected surprises that come along. Saving has relieved the stress and burden when things come up we weren’t planning on. I also tend to be willing to spend more on the kids for the things they want and we have decided it is good to sometimes to say no and have them earn their money. This is teaching our children to earn money and work hard for the things they want to buy instead of us handing them the money.
Being married we have to compromise and work hard to have a budget. I have learned not to just buy things without considering my spouse or what he might want instead. We try to be conscious of each other and the family when it comes to spending extra money. Obviously, I don’t run my Starbucks coffee purchase by him, but for big purchases, vacations, or presents it is a good thing to discuss. Setting a spending threshold might be a great idea. If I plan on spending more than $100 we discuss it openly. It doesn’t have to be stressful, but just a way to keep our spending in check. In budgeting, we also decide how much of our earnings we will save or donate to charity. It is a great lesson for our children to see us working as a team and managing our money efficiently so when they are adults they will have a guide to look back on.
