This is a contributed post and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Meet The Harris Family. This article features the four steps to help you deal with your finances.

The transition from being on your own financially and being supported is not always an easy one. Especially if you are wary about sharing your money in the first place. In an ideal world, nobody would marry someone that they haven’t discussed finances with. Money makes the world go around. And, if you don’t have the same long-term financial goals, you’re not going to be able to have a balanced and happy relationship without butting heads.

It won’t always be the case, though, that your financial goals gel together. One of you may want to invest savings in a new home that you buy. While the other wants to hold off and wait until you have a bigger deposit under your belt before making such a solid investment. One of you may want to send the children to private schools, whereas the other doesn’t see the point in spending large chunks of money in that way. Being financially compatible is far easier than not. However, you could still make it work if you have different ideas. There are some areas that financial compatibility is a must, though, and these are:

• If one of you is interested in saving money and the other in spending it, you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of petty fights and arguments that are going to escalate into a divorce because you can’t learn to compromise.
• How you would handle it if one of you had an accident throughout your marriage? Who would pick up the financial burden and would you be ready for it? You could make a claim for an injury when off work – click for more – but would your finances and relationship cope with the wait? It’s going to depend on you two coming together to talk about that before it could happen.
• Secrets should never be kept when it comes to money. Mainly because finances impact both of you whether you have a joint account or not. So, if one of you is in debt, communication is key. Working together is far better than working alone.

Changing the way that you handle your finances is an inevitability when you get married. You will ultimately be looking at your household income with two wages rather than just one. This can be reassuring. Know that you are there to support each other when times get a little tough is so much better than thinking you can only rely on yourself in the hardest financial times. Below, we’ve put together four steps to help you deal with your finances as a couple instead of bickering over them.

four steps to help you deal with your finances

1. Pay Attention. Listening to your spouse is a given, whether it’s about finances or household chores. However, when it comes to the money in the home you have to listen to each other. If you are living to a budget and one of you is having trouble sticking to that budget, then you need to discuss why and how you can make it work properly. Setting a household budget should be a team effort. Especially since in the end both of you are going to benefit from it. It sounds like a ridiculously simple solution, but a conversation can make a world of difference. This way, you can sift through the concerns on both sides and come to a manageable agreement about the way that you both handle household finances.
2. Wait. You’ve seen a brand-new smart television set in the stores, and you resolve to buy it on payday. But wait – have you discussed this with your spouse? Many may view this discussion as asking for permission. But think about it…. it’s not permission you are asking for. You need to communicate to see if there is room for your purchase is important. You don’t necessarily have to go without, but it makes sense to hold your horses and ensure that you actually do have the money together to get the large purchase that you want while still paying for all the debt you currently have.
3. Marry Your Goals. Finances are a big issue for some, especially if you’ve spent a long time dealing with your money on your own. It can be very difficult.  Things get more challenging when you live with someone who doesn’t see a point in keeping to a budget or considering their own purchases. Impulsive behaviour can be dangerous when it comes to the cash in the household. You really have to either be okay with the fact your spouse is an impulsive spender, or keep your finances separate so that they’re not impulsive when spending your cash. Set your financial goals together and then work towards them as a team. It won’t be easy at first and it’s going to take some getting used to. But you can do it.
4. Move Forward. Once you set goals and set a budget, you need to be accountable together for your household functions. So, when it comes to tracking the finances to ensure that you know where it’s all headed… you need to work together and be open with each other.

So many couples out there forget the one key tool that they both have. The ability to communicate. Just a simple conversation can have a major impact on your financial mishap. And if you want to keep your relationship strong and sweet, those conversations need to happen and should never be awkward. If you can’t move forward together financially, it could be time to rethink your relationship. In the meantime, stop arguing. There are ways and means to solving a problem!