Have you ever tried to have a budget discussion with your significant other(s) or family members? How often do they end well?
Money is a highly charged topic for most people. As one lovely friend of mine put it “It’s like I’m showing you my dirty underwear.” The only way around fighting over money is to learn to effectively communicate about it. I learned this the hard way when my husband and I started budgeting more carefully. In his eyes, we were doing all we could with the planning and cutting expenses. He felt that as long as he agreed with my perspective, there was nothing to discuss. “No more lunches out, done. What’s to talk about?”
Very seldom do all of the people in the household have the same money styles. Some do not like to deal with bills or finances in general. Often, their process for bill paying is very simple… pay the bills when the shut off notices arrive (or the utility in question is actually shut off). This leads to bounced check fees, late fees, and reconnect fees. Rather than continue to carry stress around regarding the bills, the “responsible one” handles the bill paying and the finances.
Of course, this means that the person in charge of the budget and the bill paying too often has to be the bad guy. When the family is feeling the pinch of budgeting, when the spending limits are imposed, when the other members don’t agree, it’s the fault of the budget maker. When the resentment starts because the family isn’t REALLY on the same page, it’s the “responsible” one who becomes the fall guy.
So set aside time to review spending reports and discuss how everyone thinks the budget is going, where the family can improve spending, and/or where they need to allow for more. Work on ways to engage everyone in the conversation without making anyone feel as though it’s going to be a “finance lesson” or an opportunity for everyone to gripe about money.
Starting tomorrow, I’ll be sharing a series of articles on taking the pain out of money discussions.
Start turning your family’s financial ship around by cutting 50% or more off your grocery expenses, household cleaners, toiletries, dining out, and more. I use this system and save 60% to 75% off retail prices every single week.
