When we talk about the reasons that relationships break up, one theme keeps cropping up: Money.
It's very common for people to split over money stress. Whether that's just worries about a financial situation taking the fun out of the relationship, or a fundamental difference of opinion, those digits in your bank account can have a huge impact on your love life.
Here are some things to think about to stop your relationship becoming a casualty.
Do you have the same money style as your partner? Whether they know it or not, everyone approaches their money in a slightly different way. Sometimes it's quite dramatic — one of you might be a profligate spender while the other is a frugal saver. For others, it's more subtle. It's helpful to identify how each of you relate to your finances so you can understand and pre-empt how you might respond to changing circumstances.
If not, can you find ways around that? If you're really different, you'll need to find a way to navigate those differences if you're going to work together for common goals. It may be too much to ask to completely change someone's habits of a lifetime but drawing up a budget for your joint expenses and setting some mutual goals and agreed rules around spending can be helpful. If it sounds a bit draconian to talk about rules, you could consider agreeing that you'll check in with each other before you make a purchase over a set amount.
