Love and Finances: 12 Financial Habits that can Cause a Breakup

LOVE AND FINANCES

Love and finances can be hard to mix. Each person has different past experiences when dealing with money. If a financial plan is not communicated at the beginning of a relationship it can cause problems in the future.

Love and Finances

Love and Finance: 12 Financial Habits that can cause a Breakup

  1. Keeping money secrets
    • Hiding financial information or debt from your partner can erode trust and cause tension.
    • Remember you are in this together so what the two of you do affects the entire family.
  2. Spending too much money
    • Over-spending, especially without discussing it with your partner, can lead to financial stress.
    • Ask yourself if the debt or the dwindling savings account is worth it.
  3. Not having a budget
    • Not having a clear understanding of your income and expenses can cause disagreements and overspending.
    • If you don’t know how much you have, need, or spend then who is controlling your finances?
  4. Failing to communicate
    • Not discussing financial matters and making decisions without considering your partner’s feelings can lead to fights.
    • Ask yourself why are you hiding it from your partner and where did this behavior originate.
  5. Ignoring debts
    • Neglecting to pay bills or other outstanding debts can cause financial stress and lead to arguments.
    • Sticking your head in the sand will not make the debts disappear.
  6. Not saving for the future:
    • Failing to save for retirement or other long-term goals can cause tension and conflict.
  7. Supporting financial dependents
    • Supporting family members or friends who are struggling can strain your resources and cause problems.
  8. Competing over money
    • Competing over who earns more or who spends more can cause jealousy and hurt feelings.
  9. Making impulsive financial decisions
    • Making impulsive purchases or investments without considering the consequences can cause financial stress.
    • This can also add to your debt load which will hurt your family’s stability. 
  10. Having different spending habits
    • Having vastly different spending habits and values can make it difficult to agree on financial matters.
    • Habits are hard to break but are necessary when you are mixing love and finances. 
  11. Participating in the blame game
    • Blaming each other for financial problems, instead of working together to find solutions, can cause friction.
  12. Not planning for the future
    • Not planning for future expenses, such as emergencies or retirement, can cause stress and disagreements.
    • Or living paycheck to paycheck will keep you up at night worrying about money and will strain your relationship. 

Below are 12 ways to build a strong healthy financial future together.

Love and Finance – Try These Instead

  1. Create a joint budget
    • Work together to determine your income and expenses and create a budget that works for both of you.
    • Knowing your numbers helps you be in control of your money.
  2. Establish financial goals
    • Identify your short-term and long-term financial goals and work together to achieve them.
    • Having goals to work on will motivate both of you to change bad habits.
  3. Set aside emergency funds
    • Build an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses and reduce stress.
    • This puts an end to living paycheck to paycheck and gives your family peace of mind. 
  4. Divide financial responsibilities
    • Decide who will handle specific financial tasks, such as bill paying and investing.
    • Be honest about your weaknesses, if a task makes you uncomfortable let your partner know.
  5. Track spending
    • Keep track of your spending to stay within your budget and identify areas where you can save money.
    • Practice mindfulness when deciding what to spend money on.
  6. Discuss financial decisions
    • Before making major financial decisions, have an honest discussion, review the options, and agree on a plan.
  7. Create a debt repayment plan
    • Identify any outstanding debts and develop a plan to pay them off.
    • Start with the smallest debt because progress will motivate you to continue.
  8. Save for the future
    • Set aside money for retirement and other long-term financial goals.
    • Research retirement options or find a trusted financial advisor to set up your investment.
    • Working on becoming more financially literate by reading and listening to podcasts.
  9. Discuss spending habits
    • Have open and honest conversations about your spending habits and identify areas where you can make changes.
  10. Consider a joint bank account
    • Consider opening a joint bank account for paying bills and budget tracking.
    • Decide how much each person will contribute to the joint account each month or paycheck.
  11. Plan for big purchases
    • Save for large purchases, such as a home or car, by setting aside money each month.
  12. Seek professional advice 
    • Consider seeking advice from a financial advisor to help you reach your financial goals.
    • Do your research so that you can know of the options available and have some understanding of how they work.

RELATED: Why Are Relationships So Hard?

In Conclusion

By working together to manage your money, you can build a strong financial future and reduce stress and conflict in your relationship.