No one ever intends to break up, split up, or divorce. There are a number of reasons why couples do though and one of those reasons is because of finances. Before I got married, my wife and I talked about finances. I considered myself someone who had a good grasp of financials. My wife was an accountant and was very good with money. Luckily, from the very beginning we were on the same page financially.

We both had careers; we both aspired to make more money; we wanted to have children; we wanted a bigger home. Every step of the way we talked about the financials. Talking about the finances shouldn’t be uncomfortable. It’s important enough to be able to have these conversations and not hesitate to talk about it.

There will be times of disagreement and that’s healthy. There’s always more than one side and perspective. You might want to spend some money for a vacation but your spouse might want to fix the house. You might want to buy a new car but the spouse doesn’t. Understanding other perspectives help get through disagreements and it’s very important when it involves finances.

What are some of the disagreements you have with your significant other? Does one have a student loan they don’t want to try and pay off; does your spouse have a credit card balance and doesn’t try to pay it down; are you spending on things you don’t need; did you inherit your spouse’s debt and now you’re trying to pay it off; are you being constantly told not to shop or buy useless things; do you have a gambling problem?

Arguments about money can tear a family apart which is why it’s important to get on the same page with each other. Your vision on money should be aligned with their vision on money. There will be times where one of us will fall off the horse and will lose sight of the vision. Hopefully, it doesn’t come with a significant cost but as long as you are both on the same page, it should make things get back to normal quick. As I wrote about cashing in on receipts I wrote a caution not to buy things just to get the reward. You’ll end up buying things you normally don’t and won’t use. I fall into this trap time and time again. My wife continues to remind me it’s better not to spend $4 to get $1. That’s $3 you could have saved. That’s the accountant in her talking and thanks to her, I get back on the same page.

If it’s difficult talking about finances with each other, you need to start getting comfortable. This has helped us make important decisions as a family. We know what the other is thinking, same financial mindset, and the support for each other. There are no financial secrets either. Having financial secrets is a no-no. If you are interested in following my journey, email subscribe to get alerts of latest posts or follow me on Facebook.