You and your spouse don’t always see eye to eye. One of you talks too much – or not enough. One of you feels hot while the other is shivering cold. And one of you is probably a saver while the other is a spender.
Those differences – especially the last one – can drive you apart. Petty disagreements about money can easily turn into full-grown battles that bleed a relationship dry.
Well-known author, radio host, and financial expert Dave Ramsey is my guest on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. He says financial differences are some of the most difficult to navigate. The data bear that out. Conflict over money is the number one cause of divorce in American homes.
Money is not a passive influence on marriage. It reflects a couple’s value system and dictates how the family operates. Dave calls money a family’s “checkbook autobiography.” Where your money goes says a lot about what’s important to you.
The good news is that while conflict over money is the greatest source of marriage trouble, coming into agreement over money is the greatest opportunity to improve a relationship. The benefits are more significant than extra money in the bank. Improving communication about money can make a good marriage great or lift one that’s struggling to a new level of healing.
Dave says, “When you agree on your spending, you’re agreeing on your dreams. And when that happens, you get oneness and unity in your marriage.”
That is worth the effort.