

Guest post by SB of One Cent at Time
If you’ve been married for a while, there’s a pretty good chance that either you or your spouse is the one “in charge” of the family finances. And if you’re like me, your spouse might not be nearly as involved as you would like — or they might even refuse to get involved.
This dilemma, which is be a huge issue for many marriages, can be addressed in an agreeable manner if you have the proper tools and attitude. Here are five tips that could help your spouse to get more involved in your family’s finances:
1. Focus on solving the problem, but don’t fight.
A two-way conversation is the only tool that will result favorably. It’s easier to gently persuade someone into changing their mind and it helps if you both focus on your goals which are mutual.
Try opening with the feel/felt/found method. For example, “When you bull up and refuse to discuss the finances with me, I FEEL like my concerns don’t matter. What I’ve found is that when I FEEL that way, I am not as careful about how I spend our money because I’m hurt and angry.”
2. Use the “switch-a-roo” method.
If you spouse usually is not the bill-payer, let them give it a try for a month (and of course offer to help if necessary) This will give him or her a better understanding and appreciation for how important it is to be involved in the decision making process of your family’s finances.
3. Dream together.
We all have dreams of what we would do if money were not issue… but the reality is that without team work between couples, all of these wants and desires remain unrealized pipe dreams and may never come to fruition. Communicate your ideas and listen to your spouse’s ideas. Realize that you need to develop a plan TOGETHER to make your dreams come true.
4. Do the math.
If your spouse still can’t see the importance of his or her participation in the financial decision making, sit down together and look at your budget (or create a budget). When the numbers are right there in front of your eyes, it’s easier to be involved in the family finances.
5. Have regular discussions.
Open communication is so important if you want to get your spouse more involved with the financial future of your family. Any purchases that are going to come out of the monthly budget should be discussed. Not argued over, but discussed like adults!
Treat each other like business partners.
Listen to the concerns of the other, but don’t let anything get blown out of proportion. If you can’t communicate with your spouse without losing your temper, you will never be able to realize your common goals and dreams. Only gentle persuasion and mature discussion will get your spouse to participate in the family financial decisions.
What about you…
Do you do the finances in your family? Or do and your spouse tackle it together?
Do you have any other tips for encouraging your spouse to get involved more in your family’s finances?
SB is a personal finance blogger who writes about saving money, becoming rich and earning extra money over at One Cent at Time.















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