• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

National Debt Relief

National Debt Relief - A+ BBB Accredited Business - Get Relief From Credit Card Debt, Medical Bills And Unsecured Loans

Talk to a debt counselor toll free:

800-300-9550

Get Relief From Credit Card Debt

Medical Bills and Unsecured Loans

  • Apply Now
    • Qualifications
    • Is This Right For Me?
  • Proven Results
    • Debt Relief Benefits
    • Credit Card Debt Relief
  • Debt Relief
  • Credit Card Debt Relief
  • Debt Consolidation
  • Login
HomeBlog BudgetingTired of Fighting With Your Spouse About Money? Here’s How to Stop It
Video Transcript

Free Debt Consolidation Quote

By clicking "Get Free Quote", you agree that the phone number you are providing may be used to contact you by National Debt Relief (including autodialed and prerecorded calls, as well as text/SMS messages). Msg. and data rates apply, and your consent to such contact is not required for purchase.
  • National Debt Relief, LLC BBB Business Review
  • McAfee SECURE sites help keep you safe from identity theft, credit card fraud, spyware, spam, viruses and online scams

Tired of Fighting With Your Spouse About Money? Here’s How to Stop It

November 30, 2015 by National Debt Relief

Studio shot of a young couple fightingDo you how fighting over money ranks as a cause of marital problems? It’s third behind basic incompatibility and infidelity. This means fighting over money causes more marital problems than alcoholism or physical abuse or emotional abuse. On the other hand, fiscal responsibility seems to be a very desirable quality in a spouse. In fact, a study done recently by the Citi Double Cash Card revealed that 78% of the people that were in a committed relationship said they would rather have a partner that was responsible with money than one who was physically attractive.

Do you and your spouse fight over money a lot? There are ways to stop this and here are seven tips that can help.

Have money dates

One of the most important things about couples and money is communication. PR Newswire recently reported that “7% of couples claim they have never discussed finances.” And the Citi Double Cash Card survey we just referenced found that nearly 30% of those who responded said they would like to discuss finances more frequently. However, 70% also said they avoided these talks because they were afraid it would start an argument.

One good answer to this is to plan money dates where you set down at least once a month so the two of you can air your concerns or discuss money problems. This way, if one of you is having a problem over something you can discuss it calmly rather than bringing it up in the heat of the moment. In addition, a money date is a good time to bring up any issues that have been bothering you. One expert has remarked that “The best way for couples to stop fighting over money is to start doing a monthly budget and having a budget meeting each and every month.” In addition to talking about money and any money problems, the two of you should spend some time discussing your debt. This can be especially important when you’re first married so there won’t be any unpleasant surprises involving student loan debts or car payments.

Establish shared goals

According to a study done by the credit-reporting bureau TransUnion only about 37% of married respondents actually share financial decisions equally. While no couple is going to totally agree about every single money issue it’s critical to discuss your long-term goals such as buying a house, retiring and planning for children. When you set goals together and work towards them as a team this can help prevent big money issues from driving you apart. And while this may be obvious you need to do this early on in the marriage before you discover later on that you don’t have the same financial goals.

Learn your partner’s money history

In addition to knowing your spouse’s debt history, you need to know each other’s money perspectives. If you learn your partner’s money history you’ll be able to understand his or her fiscal style. For example, you can ask each other questions such as did your parents talk freely about money or was money a secret. Other good questions to ask include were you involved in financial decisions and were your parents hoarders, savers or spenders? Many experts believe that different money experiences establish the way different individuals handle their finances. You should discuss each of your personal financial philosophies very early on in the marriage as this can help clear up many issues before they even crop up.

Get help from a third-partycouple consulting a debt professional

If you have serious financial issues the two of you cannot resolve you might ask for input from a third party. Research has shown that couples generally argue more about common everyday expenses than about long-term saving and investing. For example, one of you might think an unnecessary expense is a facial or a round of golf while the other person considers that to be a luxury. This can become serious if one of you refuses to modify your spending. However, amazing changes can occur if the two of you sit down with a third party, discuss your conflicts and get some help in learning better ways to communicate with each other.

Establish a threshold on your personal spending

Another good idea is to set a threshold on each of your personal expenses. For example, you might agree to limit your personal spending to $500 and if you wanted to spend more than that you would consult with your partner. And while it’s not necessary to discuss every little purchase with your spouse you should have rules about spending on large purchases where you would then discuss the potential buy with your spouse. This not only prevents impulse purchases of unnecessary items but also gives both of you more of a sense of control when it comes to money matters.

Have no secret stash

The best relationships are built on trust. However, one study revealed that 25% of the couples surveyed said they never share their monthly bank account PINs, account balances or monthly spending. What’s even worse is that 24% of those that were in committed relationships admitted that they had private accounts that their partners did not know about. It’s okay for each of you to have an individual account but if one of you is secretly stashing away money there can be problems. Those people with secret accounts were more likely to have had financial arguments with their partners in the past year to the tune of 73%. If you want to avoid strife over money it’s critical to openly and honestly, discuss all-important financial issues including your credit scores, debts, and spending habits and be sure to nix any secret stashes.

Make sensible decisions

When it comes to life’s big decisions the critical phrase is “act sensibly.” Many young married couples with a newly-combined income make the mistake of creating unrealistic goals with dreams of buying a bigger house or taking extended vacations without having the financial wherewithal to make this happen. To counter this one expert suggests that you avoid monthly spending that totals more than 25% of your combined income. This way you should be able to put away money in an emergency fund that would tide you over when you hit one of those unexpected incidences in life such as a job loss or a huge medical bill.

Do you qualify for debt consolidation?

National Debt Relief
National Debt Relief

National Debt Relief is one of the largest and best-rated debt settlement companies in the country. In addition to providing excellent, 5-star services to our clients, we also focus on educating consumers across America on how to best manage their money. Our posts cover topics around personal finance, saving tips, and much more. We’ve served thousands of clients, settled over $1 billion in consumer debt, and our services have been featured on sites like NerdWallet, Mashable, HuffPost, and Glamour.

Follow National Debt Relief: Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin

Primary Sidebar

Consolidate Your Debt!
Find out how NDR could help.
  • Get one low monthly payment
  • Avoid bankruptcy
  • Get out of debt in 24-48 months
Get Your Free evaluation
Free Debt Consolidation Quote
By clicking "Get Free Quote", you agree that the phone number you are providing may be used to contact you by National Debt Relief (including autodialed and prerecorded calls, as well as text/SMS messages). Msg. and data rates apply, and your consent to such contact is not required for purchase.
 Trusted By Our Clients

"..."

Easy National Debt Relief Caller: Misty Transcribed WE 1/17/2021 Misty: The call may be recorded. How did you hear about National Debt Relief? JEANETTE: I just went online looking. Misty: Was there any specific financial concerns that led you to seeking out their services? JEANETTE: Yes. I just got in over my head with credit cards and I couldn't save enough for my taxes. Misty: How was your interaction with your representative that you worked with? Was it a positive experience? JEANETTE: Yes, it was a positive experience. Misty: Would you say working with NDR has affected your daily life? JEANETTE: Well, it has taken a little worry off. I'm still tensed about it, but it has helped. Yes. And definitely, now, I can put the money aside each month for my state taxes. Misty: What are your thoughts on the cost in relation to the quality of service? JEANETTE: Well, so far, so good. That’s all I know to say. [Chuckles] Misty: That brings us to the star rating. And it's a scale of 1 to 5, 1 is very dissatisfied, and 5 is that you would recommend them to a friend. JEANETTE: 5. Misty: Are there any other comments or even any suggestions on how they might improve their service for you? JEANETTE: I haven't really thought of any recently. So far, I'm pretty happy. Misty: Would it be all right if we shared some of your review content and your star rating on the ConsumerAffairs.com website? That way, if anyone is thinking about using NDR, they can read reviews of people that have done business with them. JEANETTE: Okay. Misty: Just to let you know, it's first name only. We never use last names and don't publish private information. JEANETTE: Okay. Good. Misty: Would you like me to email you the review when it's ready so you can update it if you'd like? JEANETTE: Yes, please. Misty: Okay. Let me make sure I have the correct email address. I have jetta116thst84@yahoo.com. JEANETTE: That’s right.

Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

Jeanette Cook
ConsumerAffairs Reviews

Latest Budgeting Posts

  • How to Decorate For the Holidays on a Budget
  • Free Holiday Shopping Budget Template To Keep You Out Of Debt
  • 3 Bad Money Habits and How to Avoid Them
  • Take Charge of 2020 and Implement a Simple Cost Cutting Project
  • Easy Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bill Without Coupons
National Debt Relief, LLC BBB Business Review AFCC Top Ten Reviews Gold Top Consumer Reviews Consumers Advocate Trust Pilot
Company
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Corporate
  • Privacy Policies
  • Terms Of Site
  • Disclaimer
  • Sitemap
Products
  • Debt Relief
  • Credit Card Debt Relief
  • Debt Consolidation
  • Debt Settlement
  • Calculators
  • FAQs
Debt Resources
  • Credit Card Debt
  • Medical Debt
  • Personal Loan Debt
  • Unemployment
  • Divorce Debt
  • Retiree Debt
  • Veteran Debt
  • Business Debt
  • Personal Finance
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

© 2021, National Debt Relief, All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer
Disclaimer
Disclaimer