Debt
The first bad financial decision that couples make is not being completely honest about their debt. For whatever the reason is people don’t always tell their significant other about the amount of debt that they have. Sometimes they are ashamed. Other times they are afraid of what the other person may think or say. They have to change that way of thinking. If you want your union to last, you have to be upfront with the amount of debt that you owe. Once you let them know how much you have, you and your spouse can work together to eliminate it. Once you’re married it’s no longer just your debt; it’s both of yours.
Secrets
Keeping any kind of secret from your wife or husband is bad, but keeping a money secret from them can be very damaging. Trust is one of the top factors in a relationship. You don’t want to do anything to mess that up. For example, say a husband loves to bet on sports. Imagine he uses money from a joint account to supply his habit. If he loses hundreds of dollars due to bad bets, he will have to come clean sooner than later. His wife will want to know where the funds went. If he lies about the situation, it will make things worse than what they already are. For a lot of people, this type of secret is grounds for a divorce. To save your relationship you should always tell the truth and not keep any secrets from your spouse.
Emergency Funds
Not having any emergency funds is another bad financial decision. If you have two incomes, you may think that you’re fine and that you will be alright. Things can change very quickly. One of you could lose your job; your wife could get pregnant, or you could have a family emergency. You just never know what can happen. Having an emergency fund will help you prepare for the unexpected. Since both of you are working, it should be easier for you to save for it. The emergency plan can help reduce stress and tension. Take the time to discuss it and make it happen.
Bad financial decisions can come a dime a dozen. They can ruin your relationship if you continuously make them. When it comes to finances, you must not forget to communicate with each other. Make sure that you discuss all of your debt, don’t keep any secrets and work together to save an emergency fund. Paying attention to those and other financial decisions will keep you two trusting each other.
Have you made any of these bad decisions in your relationship?
Jason Butler
Jason Butler is an Atlanta native, as well as businessman, blogger and teacher. Not only is Jason a prolific flipper, marketer, writer and side hustler his number of years in higher education and student support have given him expert knowledge in understanding the economics of the student loan industry.
We’re pretty darn honest and open, but we have had periods where the emergency fund thing was a struggle because of income. Glad those days are over!
People get so strange about discussing money. It kind of shocks me when couples aren’t open about it with each other.