Be smart about money. Set a goal and a budget. Set benchmarks and save for certain items as incentives…reward yourself with the item or trip! STOP using credit cards! If you are trying to get OUT of debt then getting into MORE debt will NOT solve your problem! Decide on your needs…notice I said needs and not wants…and then you have your basic monthly budget. Now because we are human you will need to have some splurge money (because we all will splurge at some point so plan for it!)…for snacks on a road trip you didn’t think about or a birthday you forgot to plan for. Be sure to include at least one date night a month in your NEEDS part of the budget. A date night with your spouse will do wonders for your relationship…and the goal of all of this is to preserve your marriage…so make the effort to do that!
3. Spender or Saver – Which One Are You?
Learning each other’s money personalities is key to helping you succeed financially. Most likely one of you is a spender while the other one has a tendency to save. Forget the traditional roles regarding who should handle money at home. Let the one who is a saver manage your home finances. Build a budget together, agree on how much you’ll spend on each budget category, and let the saver keep you accountable for sticking to the plan! Think of creative ways to reward the spender for sticking to his or her allowance each month. It’ll keep them motivated to keep it up.