6 Proven Expert Tips to Prevent Money From Breaking Your Marriage

Money, if used wisely, is a blessing to your marriage, but if not used well it can break your marriage.

“I promise to love you, to cherish you…till death do us part.” This is a common statement often made when couples are tying the knot. They are words of hope that couples promise each other before witnesses. Unfortunately, some never live to fulfill this promise. Do you know why? Probably it is because money is breaking their marriages.

To some, money has become a curse instead of a blessing. The Holy Scriptures say that the many evils experienced around are caused by the love of money. Marriage is not an exception. A research carried out by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysis revealed that 22% of all divorces are caused by money-related issues.

The above statistics are worrying. And you are wondering, “What should I do?” Well, worry not. Below are proven expert tips to prevent money from ruining your marriage.

Don’t bite more than you can chew

You probably want to have a wedding like that of your favorite TV presenter or Hollywood celebrity. And you plan to have your honeymoon in your favorite destination somewhere in Europe. Well, that is good. Who doesn’t love to have the best?

But since with your salary you can’t afford all that, you decide to borrow money to fund your wedding. When you are now married, the reality of debt hits you and may lead to divorce if not managed properly.

Recently, a newly wedded couple committed suicide a week after their colorful wedding. Why? They found out that their debts were too burdensome for them to pay. To avoid such, the best thing to do is to plan for what you can afford and shun debts like a plague.

Know your partner’s spending habits

We all have different personalities. This is also the case with spending habits. You may be accusing your partner of being a spendthrift without knowing that maybe it’s their personality. Understanding your partner’s spending habits will save you from unnecessary headaches. Furthermore, you are going to make an informed decision.

There are a variety of online assessments that both of you can take to know your money personalities. You should discuss those results with your partner openly and address the habits that are possible threats to your marriage.

Harmonize your goals

You are planning to have your dream car in the next five years while your partner wants to own a home before they can buy a car. If such plans are not harmonized, then a conflict may arise. Also, it can be hard for either of your plans to succeed individually.

Remember, you are now one flesh, one in thought and purpose, so even your plans should be harmonized to be one. List all your goals in order of priority and plan how to achieve them. Also, don’t forget to revisit the goals once in a while to do an evaluation. This will ensure that both of you are on the same page.

Budget before spending

“What! Budgeting again? I hate it. It’s tedious.” This is the complaint I often hear from my friends. Yes, to avoid unnecessary spending, you have to budget. Remember, you are saving your marriage from ruins caused by poor money decisions. Budgeting will save you from running into debts, being broke and helps you to prioritize spending. Furthermore, your spouse will feel part of the plan. When both of you are involved in planning, then implementation will be a walk down the hill.

Be open with your spouse

When you were single, you didn’t have any obligation to disclose anything to anybody. If you were to do it, then it was out of your own volition. But now you are married. Stop handling money matters like you are still single.

Imagine taking a huge loan without informing your spouse then things get tough along the way and you are unable to pay. Will you inform your spouse? What if your property is taken? You can imagine the havoc you will have brought to your marriage. According to a survey carried out by Moneysupermaket.com, 10% of those who took the survey said that having secret credit cards caused couples to divorce.

Despite the effect, close to 7 percent of the couples in the US have a secret account that is unknown to their spouses. Disclosing your financial position to your spouse may save your marriage from unnecessary drama.

Value your partner more than yourself

This is an antidote to solving many financial disagreements. In any decision that you make, always keep your spouse in mind. Ask yourself the following questions: Is this decision going to benefit my spouse? Is it a selfless decision? Will this decision have a positive effect on my spouse? Will I be happy if this is done to me? If all your answers are yes, then go ahead and implement that financial decision.

Conclusion

Money, if not used wisely, can break your marriage. But for it to be a blessing, then you have to plan with what you have; understand your partner's spending habits; harmonize all your goals; budget before spending; be open with your spouse concerning your finances, and lastly value your spouse more than yourself.

If you religiously follow the above expert tips, then money won’t be a cause of divorce. I wish you a happy marriage.