Keeping your Relationship Strong in Financial Turmoil
Saturday, April 25th, 2009
photo credit: Andres Rueda
Society is going through quite an economic crisis at the time. This can cause unprecedented stress and worry in your life which can have a very adverse effect on your relationship. Maintaining a strong relationship with your partner can prove to be the steady rock that you need in order to work through these hard financial times, but it can prove to be much easier said than done. You need to put some work into your relationship to ensure that your bond can stay strong and does not depend entirely on the size of your wallet. Here are some suggestions on how to keep the momentum of your relationship high while your piggy bank runs on low.
Stay Truthful
First and foremost you need to remain honest with your partner. You may think that is manlier or that your girlfriend will appreciate you more if you keep your financial woes to yourself. While it is true that women love a man that can protect them, keeping your problems all bottled up will just cause a major blow out in the end. How can your girl just predict what you are feeling or know what you are under stress if you keep in hidden. This might cause you to lash out after just a simple comment from her on where to eat for dinner or what movie to see. Those types of unexpected fights can really put a strain on your bond.
Maintain your Active Lifestyle
If you are trying to cut down on expenses then you are probably going to cut out those expensive nights on the town or fancy dinners every weekend. But this does not have to mean an end to scheduling exciting activities together or partaking in romantic nights together. You can save money by being a little more creative and your relationship may even strengthen. What you need to do is ensure that you do not simply stay in and watch TV all week with your lover. Saving cash does not mean being lazy. Cook extravagant meals together, join a gym or pick up a new hobby such as tennis together, as a couple. Go on a hiking adventure, visit the local library or even take a stroll to the local farmer’s or antique market. The best part of all these activities is they can be a fun, interactive way to hang out with your partner, yet there is no need to bring along your credit card.
Make a Budget Together
While this may seem like the least exciting thing to do, it can really help you in the long run. By sitting down for a few hours on a rainy Sunday you can discuss all the intricate details of your financial situation and ensure you are partner are on the right wavelength. By deciding what frills to cut out and which to keep as a team, it will be a lot easier to stick to the plan. If you simply decide that your weekly dinner at the fancy restaurant gets cut out of the budget while you keep your box seats for the football game, your partner is going to feel alienated. Work together towards mutual goals that benefit you both. Ditch the box seats and the fancy restaurant and buy a bit to eat at a local sports pub once a week. She gets the attention she wants and you still get to watch the game while saving money at the same time.
Author information: To change this standard text, you have to enter some information about your self in the Dashboard -> Users -> Your Profile box. Read more from this author
Tags: financial problem, relationship
I only wish I had read this article sooner. my X and I had the same issue. He shut me out and wouldn’t do anything with me. It caused both of us a lot of pain. I ended up having to leave him for I felt like I was enabling him to be defeated. Money should never be an issue in relationships. Its about being a team and sticking together. It isn’t worth trying to be the ultimate man if it gets you no where, everyone has weak points in their life, its how they handle them that determines whether you are a man or not.
I agree, it’s definitely a good idea to plan your finances together. Include your partner in all financial decisions.