Money is an important component of life and marriage. Your groom will bring his beliefs and behavior about money to the marriage just like you. What happens when there is a financial disparity? Is your relationship with your future spouse STRONG enough to survive this financial test? I say it is a test because this is one of those areas that can change repeatedly throughout the marriage. So how you handle it the first time will set the course for your marriage.
A financial disparity could arise when one spouse is earning a significant amount more than the other and/or that other person’s income is not stable. Talk about pressure for the spouse that is earning more. The question may come up how do we pay the bills? Should the person making the majority of the income manage the money?
How a couple decides these answers can set the tone for financial decisions, goal setting and even planning for their financial future. Silence is not the key as you are approaching your wedding day; especially when it comes to money. One of the reasons money is one of the top reasons for divorce is because of a lack of communication. There are a lot of couples that are not communicating about their finances until a crisis arises. Don’t put your upcoming marriage in that situation.
Should it be a challenge when one person ears more than the other? What each couple has to decide and be honest with themselves about is what type of foundation is their marriage being built on? What do they each want to see when it comes to finances? What do they believe should happen when it comes to each of their careers? Husbands and wives should have a plan for their marital lives and the different areas that make up this lovely journey.
It is not going to be a happy day if one person feels as if they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders and the other person is not contributing. A marriage is about team work. Husbands and wives have to look at what is beneficial to the overall marriage. Below are some solid principals to follow within your money and marriage:
Principal #1 – Don’t let society dictate how you handle your marriage.
Principal #2 – Don’t let family and friends dictate how you handle your marriage (especially those who have never been married or those who had a bad divorce).
Principal #3 – Money is a part of life whether you are married or not. What makes a difference is how you handle it knowing that as a married couple, your decisions affect everyone in the household when it comes to money.
Principal #4 – When seeking financial guidance; be careful who you get your information from. (Don’t ask the person who’s never been through anything or the person that has a negative view on everything).
Principal #5 – One person may bring home more bacon per se than the other; however it may not always be this way. Learn how to budget your household knowing what is the minimum it takes to run your household and what would be considered gravy. Furthermore, the best advice I could give you is to base your household on one income even if your household consists of two. This way it doesn’t matter what happens with the economy or any job.
