Having a plan for finances is critical in a marriage. Some of the issues that need to be addressed are listed below. Taking care of them will avert friction in your family finance.
1) Selfishness
This occurs when someone is self-centered, seeking only their own interests, and not working as a team.
Both partners need to work as a team and work towards the same goal. Husbands and wives should focus on meeting each other’s needs.
When someone is self-centered, they won’t want to make sacrifice for the marriage. Both partner needs to make sacrifices to make it work. Your mantra can’t be ‘Me-Myself-and-I’.
2) Insecurity
This manifest when we feel like someone is trying to cheat us, you feel like your partner is getting more than you, you become very demanding and become afraid that things will not improve.
Remember that for your marriage to succeed, you both must give hundred percent commitment, it isn’t a fifty-fifty arrangement. You are not in a competition of who can grab the most from the marriage or milk the union.
Truth be told, it may look like one person is having more financial gains from the marriage, that is life! You may bring in more income than your partner. You don’t have to feel bad.
3) Planning and budgeting
It’s very important that couples sit down and plan their spending together. We should avoid reporting expenses to our partner after the money has been spent. Both the husband and wife should write down their monthly expense and allocate resources as appropriate.
A common compliant men make is that they don’t know what their wives do with their money. A wife may be augmenting the house keeping allowance. Meanwhile, the husband doesn’t even know that she is adding a large amount to what he drops. He’s assuming that the money he drops is enough.
That’s why the wife should capture all the monthly expenses and it should be clear to both parties. A proper budget should be done before any expense is made. Don’t operate like the Federal Government that will not bring out their budget until the year is almost over.
When budgeting, plan for savings and investments. There should be no idle funds, if income stops from one partner, both of you should scale down on your spending. You can fall back on your savings to cover the shortage.
You also have to budget for extended family if you have dependants.
4) Patience
Sometimes, we are in a hurry to breakthrough and we put ourselves under undue pressure. Let’s keep supporting each other and bearing with each other.
You should learn to have patience, especially the ladies, your situation will change. Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day! You will buy that car, build your house etc.
Enjoy your life while you’re trusting God for a change. Guys, please never forget that you are supposed to provide for your family. While we appeal to women to be more patient and supporting, this is not to condone laziness on your part. Taking care of your family is one way you can show leadership. Don’t sit down doing nothing just because you have an industrious wife. Roll up your sleeves and get to work!
Make sure your hands find something to do. Don’t feel some jobs are beneath you, ensure you avoid pride. There is dignity in Labour!
Please learn to celebrate your wife when she is bringing in money. Appreciate her sacrifice for the family. Commend her, look for every opportunity to show her she is appreciated.
In conclusion, both of you should strive to work together as a team. Build your nation (your family), have a unified vision and you will surely win the match of life!