Money problems is the number reason for divorce and problems in marriages today. According to Sonya Britt, a researcher at Kansas State University, “arguments about money are by far the top predictor of divorce. It’s not children, sex, in-laws or anything else. It’s money – for both men and women.”
Below are 6 ways you let money ruin your marriage
1. YOU COMPETE WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Competition with friends is one way you let money ruin your marriage. When you buy yourself a new car you don’t really need at the moment and can’t really afford just because your friend bought one, it can affect your marriage. When you demand your husband gives you a certain amount of money monthly as allowance just because your friend gets that amount from her husband, you destroy your marriage. Avoid unnecessary competitions for the sake of your marriage.
2. ONLY ONE PERSON MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT MONEY
Men are the ones most guilty of this in marriages. It’s important you involve your wife in matters concerning money whether she brings an income monthly or not. You build trust and earn respect from your wife when you both have a say in money decisions in your marriage.
3. YOU BORROW WITHOUT YOUR PARTNER’S KNOWLEDGE
Taking a loan without your partner’s knowledge is another way people let money ruin their marriage. You destroy the trust and transparency in your marriage when you take loans without your partner’s knowledge. If you have to take a loan for whatever reason, it’s important your partner knows about it.
4. YOU FAIL TO FACE REALITY
Failure to face reality when it comes to finance has made many marriages crumble. Some people have the ideal house they want to live in their head before they get married and they will do whatever it takes to get that ideal home when they get married even when they can’t afford it. It’s important you face reality when it comes to finance. You shouldn’t push yourself to acquire what you can’t afford just because you think it’s ideal.
5. CONFLICTING MONEY VALUES
Couples with conflicting money values tend to have problems with their marriage. According to a research by Jeffrey Dew, how one’s spouse handles money plays a role in shaping the quality and stability of family life. Marriages between someone who is a spendthrift and someone who is extremely frugal tend to have problems.
6. NO TRANSPARENCY IN SPENDING
It’s important for couples to have complete transparency when it comes to spending. The fastest way to put your marriage in a huge debt is overspending and covering it from your partner. For the sake of your marriage, be transparent when it comes to spending.
Phil