A common source of friction in any romantic relationship is money or the lack thereof. If you and your partner live from paycheck to paycheck every month or have a growing amount of debt, the financial stress can eventually seep into other aspects of your life. For instance, missing your monthly credit card or student loan payment might lead to a bad mood the entire week, which triggers a fight between you and your partner. Here are three ways to reduce the financial stress in your relationship.
Be More Financially Savvy
As useful as it is in teaching students about technical concepts and theories, the higher education system simply does not talk about financial literacy as much as it should. People are taught the congruence of a triangle or the Pythagorean theorem, and yet, they are oblivious to how to file taxes properly or how to save money on monthly expenses. It’s up to you to learn these things through video courses and books. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information available today for consumers wanting to become more financially savvy.
Don’t Be Afraid to Talk About Money
It’s often thought of as taboo to talk about money with your partner when you’re in a relationship, especially in the early stages of it. But talking about money, whether it’s financial goals or rising concerns, can actually help you build a more stable relationship with someone. Start the dreaded conversation with something subtle, such as suggesting eating at home instead of outside to save money or telling them your interest in restructuring your retirement accounts to earn a higher yield over time.
Look For Low-Cost Ways to Earn More
Look for income-earning businesses or money-saving tactics that do not require you to invest a great deal of time and energy for you to be able to reap the benefits. Some examples would be refinancing your current loans, building a blog, monetizing it through ads, and establishing yourself as an influencer on social media. These are all easy ways to earn or save money without taking precious time and energy away from your relationship.
Reducing financial stress is all about being proactive at managing your cash flow, creating a realistic financial plan, and working towards a shared collection of monetary goals.