Money and Marriage Life Finance Partners

Money is not the key to a successful marriage. The key is found in the personal attributes of the two partners to the marriage – their capacity to love, to share and to grow. But lack of understanding about financial practices or bad money habits in the use of money can cause a great many problems in marriage.

Earning money to meet the responsibilities of maturity and marriage is just the beginning. Managing that money so it will provide present satisfactions and also make possible the attainment of future goals is the real challenge.

Managing Money Not Difficult

Money management is neither difficult nor complicated. It is, as a matter of fact, very simple as long as you understand yourself, know what you really want out of life and are willing to make plans to turn those lifelong ambitions into realities. Money management isn’t complicated mathematics. It isn’t advanced economics. It’s just good sense and good faith.

Over the next few weeks we will address:

• Those about to be married
• Those who are newly wed
• Those who are struggling with the problems of a growing family
• Those who are adjusting to changes in the family income

In every case, however, it is addressed to both partners in marriage. And if there are children old enough to take part in family decisions, they may be included, too.

Perhaps only the one-person in your house is the money-earner. Perhaps both of you contribute earnings. No matter. Both of you share in the spending of the family money. Both of you share in your dreams of the future and both of you will share in disappointment if unwise handling of money interferes with those dreams coming true.

The part of yourselves which you put into your marriage – the time, effort, emotional expenditure – is the most important investment of your lifetime. Financial types of investment, however, are also important. They should serve to strengthen your marriage, but they can do so only when both of you understand where the money comes from, and when you share major decisions about spending and saving.

Our goal, in preparing this series, is to a happier, more rewarding marriage for you. May your family reach all the goals they hold close.