How To Get Your Spouse On Board With Budgeting

I get it. Not everyone likes to talk about money. Some people feel that they are not good with money, they have bad memories of money and they just want to spend it as soon as pay day arrives.

My husband was just like this. It took us years to get on the same financial page. But when we did, it was a total game-changer. We now budget together, we have money goals and we work together to stay accountable.

If you are in a similar situation then do not fret. I became a finance blogger and a finance coach to give people in similar situations hope.

Let me share my tips with you on how you can get your spouse on board with budgeting:

1. Take my advice, don’t ask to go through the budget without giving your spouse notice. If your spouse is overwhelmed or reluctant then they will need time to mentally prepare for the budget meeting. When my spouse is in a good mood, I begin a conversation with something like, “We haven’t gone over the budget in a little while, could we look over the cash flow this weekend?” This is a great way to plan a budget meeting.
2. When the time comes, create a low-stress environment. Don’t be in a rush to go somewhere, or don’t have the meeting when you are expecting guests in 10 minutes.
3. If you can, prepare the spreadsheet in advance. If you’re looking for a super, simple Excel spreadsheet to get you started, then take a look at mine. Click HERE for more details. By preparing the spreadsheet in advance, your meeting will be shorter and this is a good thing for your spouse.
4. As you look back at last month’s budget, remember to be calm and show grace. Not everything goes to plan and this is ok. It takes a few months to get the budget working well.
5. Remember your why. Have pictures around the house with your ‘Why’, for example, when we were saving for DisneyWorld, we had pictures of the hotel and the fun rides that we were going to enjoy. This was a great conversation starter when friends came around, they wanted to know all about it!
6. Congratulate yourselves on the small steps. Clearing debt or saving an emergency fund can take time but remember that a journey of 1000 miles begins with one step.
7. When you meet, have your favourite beverage with you. As you go through the numbers, take your time. It’s important not to rush these things.
8. Don’t forget to allocate some fun money. When people think of a budget, they think that it’s a restriction, that they won’t be able to spend any money. However, in reality, a budget is telling your money where to go, instead of wondering where it went! You can still have some fun money and go out, you just need to review the budget and see how much you can allocate in this budget line.
9. In my experience, a budget line for ‘miscellaneous’ is a brilliant idea. Having some money to cover those unexpected costs is always a winner.
10. Plan something fun for after your budget meeting. Go for a walk or watch a movie together.

Although my husband is the spender and I’m the saver, together, we have gone on to accomplish the huge financial goal of getting out of debt and building up our emergency fund. What we could have allowed to become a point of contention has only made our relationship stronger by choosing to respect our differences and work together.

Even when a husband and wife have very different habits, you can successfully work together to achieve the same financial goal! Be encouraged! Even ‘spenders’ can eventually get excited about budgeting!

For more advice and support on how to get your spouse on the same financial page, check out my free E-Book, available from www.moneyandmarriage.net

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This guest post was kindly written by Karen Hackman at www.moneyandmarriage.net

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