MONEY MATTERS

When you marry, you take each other ‘for richer for poorer’

Marriage involves mutual trust and an agreement with each other about what money is for, how money is to be managed, and how it is to be spent The way money is handled in the relationship is one of the principal causes of divorce

It is surprising how little information couples are given on managing budgets or planning joint finances, yet they are presumed to have acquired such knowledge by ‘magic’

There is enormous pressure to ‘spend, spend, spend’ - especially using credit cards Even today, credit is easy to obtain – so people pile up debts and often do not have the resources to repay them

Money is POWER. As an instrument of power, it can be used to reward or punish, instead of building a sense of shared achievement

Talking about money can be difficult for some people, but it is essential.

Secrecy about money – about how much each person earns, and how they are spending it can lead to resentment and create a lack of trust. Erosion of trust creates suspicion and undermines a relationship

Are you a BIG SPENDER? *You need to look at your ATTITUDES towards money.

A careful SAVER? What are your spending priorities? What are the areas of serious disagreement about money? Compromises have to be reached.

Open, honest, trust-filled communication is necessary

*Open, honest, trust-filled communication is necessary We have some USEFUL TIPS for you on MANAGING MONEY

HANDOUT: MONEY * MARRIED COUPLE’S SHARING