As a certified financial coach I’ve spoken to a few people recently who wanted to talk about finances with their partners but were hesitant or didn’t know where to start. I thought it would be good to write about how to talk to your partner about money as it can be a tricky topic with couples.
1. Tell them in advance that you’d like to sit down for a chat, this will stop them feeling ambushed or being ‘HALT’ = hungry, angry, lonely or tired.
2. If you think they won’t want to budget or look at goal setting, why don’t you come with the essential spend figures so that together you can then agree your discretionary spending.
3. Use facts such as ‘we bought’, ‘you have spent’, ‘we have £xx in our bank’ rather than emotions such as ‘I hate’, ‘I think’, ‘I wish’.
4. Avoid blaming or judging each other. If you can avoid putting emotion in to who is good or bad with money, the conversation will be more constructive.
People who talk about money:
– make less risky and better financial decisions
– have stronger personal relationships
– help their children form good lifetime money habits
– feel less stressed or anxious and more in control.
If you can get used to talking about money in an everyday way, your financial confidence will build and any issues that arise can be dealt with sooner.
If there is anything worrying you, please book a free discovery call here to see if I can help you or look at other services I provide.