You, Me, Money & Us: Do's and Don'ts

Silent but powerful, Money is the third partner in our  relationships! If we don’t give it due respect and attention it will  often destroy the  relationship between ‘You’ and ‘Me’ and leave ‘Us’ shattered.Yet we neglect this co- partner until it’s often too late. If we  do talk about money we are shouting,  we  are accusing, we are defending or we end up stonewalling on the issue just to keep the peace.  Money and  issues to do with finances have been found to be the primary areas of conflict in the family. Improve your money relationship with our suggestions below: 

Do’s  & Don'ts  About  Money 

Do sit down and share each other’s history, backgrounds and views about  money. 

Do try to see money from your partner’s perspective

Do try to learn and understand your money personality and that of your partner. 

Do set aside time each month to  discuss the family budget &  money issues with your partner. 

Do set goals together. What are you saving for as a family ; Holiday, new car, charitable giving..?

Don'ts 

Don’t put one person in control of the finances.  

Don’t talk about money when you are emotional. Be open and don’t get defensive or go on the offensive.

Don’t use money to punish or control your partner .

Don’t assume the fight is about dollars and cents. Dig deeper and determine the real  issue .

Don’t believe the hype; not all men are good at managing money and not all women are spendaholics!  Find out each other's strong points and do what works for you.