Guest Posts

A Couple that Saves Together Stays Together

First and foremost, there is the importance of having goals.

Without goals, the relationship is doomed. What will end up happening is that you will grow tired of one another. In relationships, you slowly mold the other individual (whether you know it or not), so that eventually you’re both very similar (just look at the synergy in long-time couples).

What I found is that to have a healthy relationship you have to both have goals that are your own along with ones that are shared. These goals can be conflicting (and that’s a good thing) because it’ll create just enough difference between the two of you that you don’t become overly-dependent on each other.

Shared goals are equally important because the relationship needs to progress.

Second is understanding the motives.

Finances, as mentioned, are a big item to take care of when you’re in a serious relationship but there needs to be motivation behind it, otherwise you’ll never get around to the act.

The bigger picture begins to take form and it’s important to have open dialog about the big items:

• Having kids
• Getting married
• Eliminating debt

They may not all apply but should be part of the normal financial discussions because one leads to another. Chances are that if the relationship is going serious the two of you are considering marriage which comes with a myriad of expenses.

The big expense, in this case, is the lead up and wedding – specifically the costs surrounding the engagement rings. A unique ring (such as the blue diamond engagement rings offered by Front Jewelers), its design, and whether it’s within budget are all factors you must consider.

Once you’ve got that expense covered, it’s good to talk about what each other expects out of the wedding so it doesn’t get too far out of control in terms of costs. One of the factors to bring up are those items like having children at a later point, buying a house, or saving for retirement. They’re big topics, but you’ve got to talk about it at some point.

Third on our list is planning the careers.

When you first come together the expenses are usually one sided or at least going back and forth (paying for one another). Once you’re settling, the finances get serious because it’s shared.

A healthy relationship should be built on the trust that the other individual is making smart decisions about their career. A lot of times the relationship can get in the way of career advancement because it’s not one of the items of discussion earlier on in the relationship.

All of this cycles back to having goals in mind.

The easiest way to save and eliminate the problem of financial woes is to advance in a career. The additional income to the shared finances will help wipe out debt and build a nest egg. In order to achieve this each individual should sit down and discuss their career outlook and plan together on where it will take the relationship (which may include items like moving or even spending some time apart).

In all, the couple that saves together stays together.

By setting goals, understanding motivation, and keeping open dialog about career choices the relationship will be built to last. Keep reading financial information like that you’d find on CleverDude but more importantly – put it into effect.

Photo courtesy of nadineheidrich